Ebony and Ivory
by Mystery002
Summary: After the destruction of the Black Comet, Shadow has left his past behind. But as he discovers his true feelings for Rouge, the interference of the Doctor's newest bid for world domination will not only threaten their relationship, but the world.
1. Shadow Says Goodbye

**Ebony and Ivory**

_by Mystery002_

Author's Notes: It seems as though the main focus of the account has been nothing but In the End and Crimson Twilight for forever... Which is both good and bad.

On the one hand, a nice long story where you don't have to constantly keep readjusting your frames of time reference and character backstories and such is good... and it allows for a much deeper plot. However, there's been little experimentation other than Sonic the Parody 2. It was for this original reason I decided on the concept of the Mini-Project, something to occupy myself while I took a breather from Crimson Twilight and worked on something else.

There was some fan opposition to this in the poll I conducted, but I decided that I needed the break myself, and that it would give me some momentum to work on something else for awhile.

This is my first (and probably last) attempt at a full fledged Shadouge story, with lots of my own styles injected in to delude it and make it so that it is **not** sickeningly sweet... like watering down concentrated syrup so that you actually have something consumable. As opposed to the usual barfworthy fluff and vomit enduring erotica, I'm actually attempting to create some palpable literature here by blending the genres of romance, suspense, action, tragedy, and comedy.

The original concept came about because I was rereading An Ultimate's Legacy, and I realized that while it was a brilliant story in its own right, it was incredibly sabotaged by its predecessors. And yet the story was incapable of functioning as a stand-alone romance! So I began playing around with the idea of what would happen if it were to be rewritten to be a stand alone fiction... and after changing the concept around a lot, walla.

I intend to attempt to write a story like this that _includes _the trademarked fight scenes featured in the Ultimate's Saga, In the End, and Crimson Twilight: a fusion of two distinct styles which I love.

If you're looking for action and romance together, look no further. I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 1- Shadow Says Goodbye**

High in the obsidian, starless night, a supernaturally large, bloody crimson moon shone brilliantly. The swirling cerulean planet itself had been constricted by titanic, hellish, serpentine tendrils which stretched out in every direction from the grotesquely pulsating heart of the Black Comet.

The world was helpless and terrified, and everything, everyone's lives, their hopes and dreams were riding on the solitary strength of one lone warrior, one dark bastion of valor.

Suddenly illuminating the almost material blackness, a glaring golden light that burned with the brightness of the sun appeared on top of the comet, like a twinkling diamond submerged in a sea of darkness. Separating itself from the comet, the solitary star flew it a wide arc underneath its cursed, grimy bulk. Snarling with a heave and a wince, Shadow the Hedgehog harness the incredible power coursing through him, and used his trademark ability.

"Chaos Control!" he shouted, making himself and the comet disappear in a flash of pure white light.

They reappeared in the cold, cruel depths of space, floating aimlessly on the edges of Earth's orbit. The golden star shot through the sky, leaving a trail of blazing light and dazzling sparks in its wake.

Shadow approached the Space Colony ARK, his former home. He had made countless memories in this place, that he'd only recently come to understand. Not all of the mysteries of fifty years ago had been solved, but they didn't need to be. He knew his purpose. He knew why he was here.

Teleporting himself effortlessly to the central control room, Shadow cracked his knuckles and began entering targeting information into the weapons system. He would only get one shot, and he wanted it to be precise to ensure the comet's destruction and eliminate any chance of a misfire.

The entire colony had to rotate in order to face its target. This created a strange and entirely new sensation: Shadow felt like he was standing at an angle, and yet the ARK's artificial gravity held him upright in his new position.

Through the observation window, the Ultimate Lifeform could see the beautiful sapphire orb of Earth shining below, a canvas of inky darkness behind it, glowing with points of iridescent light. Maria had loved the view from this place, and they would often come here together and spent countless hours staring at the Earth below.

"Maria... I still remember my promise to you. For the people of this planet, I promise... to give them a chance to be happy," he quietly spoke to the memory of his departed friend.

Finishing with the targeting information, the colony locked onto the hideous comet, the cannon opening its protective sheath in preparation for the coming blast. Lightning coursed down the length of the tremendous super-weapon as lights flashed and machines deep within the colony whirred to life.

A blindingly bright cobalt energy began to gather at the tip of the cannon, as Shadow placed the Chaos Emeralds into the console, one by one.

"Black Doom, you can't control me any more! Your plan will be unraveled by the very gems you hoped to use, your race destroyed by the very hands you made to gather them," he mocked the defeated tyrant in defiance of his failed plan.

Finally, all seven mystical gems were arranged in the console, glowing with a myriad of brilliant colors. The golden and ride streaked hedgehog was ready to fulfill his purpose.

"Even the Eclipse Cannon was created with a purpose, was made for good, despite being a weapon... Maybe there's hope for me after all, Professor."

Shadow pressed the button, smashing the protective glass covering, and making an alarm whoop loudly throughout the station. A black skull glowed ironically on the red button, and there was a great, momentous pause before the weapon thought to have been made to destroy the world, saved it.

A beam of convalescent light tore across the sky, illuminating the heavens like a thousand strikes of lightning in a single instant. The burning, purging energy smashed into the Black Comet like a rain of holy fire, tearing it into pieces on impact. After moments of concentrated fire, explosions rocked the larger fragments, which began to crumble to dust. All life on the surface was liquidated by the tremendous heat generated by the beam, and the rest was incinerated in seconds.

After the comet was destroyed and nothing remained, Shadow allowed his Super Form to fade, returning him to his regular jet black coloring. As always, the moment the Chaos Emeralds weren't powering his Super Form, they dispersed, teleporting randomly with Chaos Control.

"Yes... now I understand. I am Shadow the Hedgehog, created about the Space Colony ARK by Professor Gerald using Black Doom's blood. I made a promise to Maria to protect this planet, a promise _I _intend to keep. I am guardian of this world: This is who I am!"

After the destruction of the Black Comet, Shadow lingered for awhile on the ARK. He was standing idly in the observation room, where he and Maria always used to spend time together. They'd spent countless hours watching the mysterious blue orb spin ceaselessly by, and wondering what it was like to live there on that wonderful, terrible world.

In his hands he clutched an ancient grayscale photograph of the Professor and Maria, who was younger, and proudly cradling a newly created and infantile Shadow in her arms. From the moment he was "born," she loved him unconditionally as her own brother.

He no longer cared about revenge, because he knew that was not her wish. There were still mysteries in his past, but he wouldn't be consumed by them any longer. He knew who he was, and that was enough. Now he would put the past behind him, and _never turn back._

Slowly opening his fingers to allow the faded picture to flutter to the ground, he stood for a moment in profound and respectful silence. The ARK was a graveyard, hauntingly quiet, and still as a tomb. He was the lone survivor of the colony, but it was no longer his home.

Somehow it felt right to have it remain there, empty, as a memorial to the genius of Professor Gerald and the superhuman kindness of Maria.

Glancing down for the last time at the decades old picture with his burning crimson orbs, a lone tear glimmered at the edge of his vision. Staring out at the Earth set against the vast expanse of the universe, he let the single droplet of salty moisture drip down his cheek, and fall to the floor with a dull clang.

"Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog."

* * *

Shadow stood in ARK's docking facility, which amazingly still housed a few older vessels which although no longer suitable for long range space exploration, wold suffice to ferry him back to the Earth's surface.

Glancing about the lonely chamber with its high vaulted ceiling and cold metal walls, he walked slowly towards a pair of abandoned freighters that had been used to deliver supplies and mail to the ARK before G.U.N. had attacked the facility.

Coming up to the door of the first ship, the obsidian hedgehog turned the air-lock mechanism, wrenching the heavy steel door open, and stared into the dank, musty interior. With vision acute enough to see even in the dimmest light, Shadow climbed inside, blowing to clean a thick layer of half a century's dust from the control panel.

Not actually possessing the keys, and doubtful as to whether they even existed anymore, Shadow reached under the console, popping off a steel plate to reveal a tangled mass of wires. Grunting in frustration, he scanned the wires for a moment before selecting two, and digging in the glove box for a pair of wire-clippers.

Finding these buried behind a miniature pin-up that was rolled up in the box, he cut the wires he'd chosen, and touched them together, igniting a spark to hotwire the shuttle. The engine faltered for a moment, but miraculously coughed to life, sputtering like someone who had been punched in the stomach.

Lifting off slightly, the ebony hedgehog struggled to navigate the craft evenly through the dock and out of the exit hatch.

'_I've never flown anything before, and certainly not a craft this clumsy,' _he grumbled inwardly. _'Well, never hotwired anything either, so I guess there's a first time for everything.'_

As the mammoth freighter navigated out of the gaping mouth of the ARK and towards the slowly turning world below, his head didn't for a moment turn, as he flew away, never to return.

"Space Colony Ark... Professor... Maria... my past... goodbye, forever."

Author's Notes: Alright, now go listen to "Never Turn Back" by Crush 40. Okay, now that you've got that out of your system, as you can tell, this story takes place directly after the events of SHTH. I could've just posted this in story notes, but I wanted to be more original and provide my own rendition of the events at the end of the game.


	2. Eggman's Latest Plan

Author's Notes: This chapter is shorter than my loyal fans are used to, and certainly shorter than you can come to expect even within this story. However, the chapter is necessary, and it's also necessary that it contain precisely the level of detail it does. So please don't whine. Every chapter is deliberate in length, and complaining about things like that (namely content and quality irrelevant aspects) only irritates me. Sit. Play dead. Good boy.

**Chapter 2- The Doctor's Latest Plan**

Within the darkness of his lair the doctor brooded, the dim illumination provided by a computer screen reflecting eerily off his perfectly circular eyeglasses. Two of his fingers twisted his almost comically large mustache, as he often did when he was concentrating.

The feed on the screen showed a news report that was covering the destruction of the Black Comet, and the salvation of Earth at the hands of the hero as the now called him, Shadow the Hedgehog. The fickle peoples of Earth had gone from one moment despising and spurning him to the next venerating him, and they would likely go back to hating him when it was next convenient. It was the destiny of a hero, and it made Robotnik sick.

He couldn't explain why he felt depressed. After all, the planet had been saved, which not only meant his life was saved, but he also needed a world to dominate, and he couldn't exactly do that if it was ravaged by the Black Arms.

And yet, he felt a discontentment within him, the same ambitious lust had burned in his veins since his childhood. The world was still not his, and he'd been at this a long time, without success. His plans would have succeeded for sure were it not for the interference of that meddling blue hedgehog that he so greatly detested.

If only he could destroy him once and for all, he could finally achieve his lifelong dream.

His thoughts were distracted by the program, which was giving details of the recovery.

_"Whole cities have been destroyed, thousands killed, and millions more displaced from their homes across the globe by the Black Arms invasion. Now that this threat is eliminated thanks to the efforts of Shadow, one can only wonder how government officials intend to get things back to normal," _the reporter said, the distinctive edge in her voice that inexplicably, all reporters seemed to have.

"Ah, some good old mayhem and destruction."

No-one could accuse the doctor of being a man of simple tastes.

"It's too bad that it's not my handiwork," he commented, as the program showed collapsed bridges, downed power lines, and destroyed buildings.

"It would be a terrible shame to let all this perfectly good devastation go to waste," the nefarious doctor chuckled slightly, while thinking over his prospects with intense concentration, and although his features softened as if inspiration has struck, there was no shout of acclamation.

"Yes, that could work... and I would... yes, then let's see them stop _that_!"

His excitement was slowly rising, and the rotund scientist rose and began pacing back and forth, still twirling his mustache. Turning abruptly and staring greedily at the screen, his eyes ravenously devoured video showing clips from the invasion and aftermath set to sombre orchestral music.

The video was designed as a tribute to the brave soldiers who had given their lives to protect the freedom and well-being of the free world. Ironically, footage could not be found of G.U.N. soldiers actually winning any battles, so the feed served more to irreverently yet unintentionally demonstrate their failure and the resulting destruction that Robotnik was reveling in.

Now that the aliens were no longer a threat, the doctor saw the aftermath as an opportunity, a chance he couldn't afford to pass up to take a cheap shot at the world while it was still hurting. He might never get another chance this ripe.

Amidst the rubble and remnants of society, he saw innumerable soldiers aiding in the clean-up and reconstruction, acting as police officers and construction workers rolled into one.

"Hmm... with that many soldiers on the ground, a straightforward assault would prove unwise," he commented, his brow furrowed in thought.

"An air assault should do beautifully, then."

The report continued to drone on in the background as the genius inventor unrolled a blank blue-sheet on his desk and began drawing furiously.

"I'll need some sort of weapon," he said to himself, "Something that will finally eliminated my wretched archenemy, Sonic, once and for all!"

A few more moments of scribbling in desperation on the plans passed before the doctor's head sunk into his hands, the veins in his temples beginning to pound and bulging to unbelievable size. He cradled his skull gently, lovingly, massaging it with long, bony fingers that starkly contrasted his tubby belly.

He glanced up at the news program with the haggard look of defeat clearly written upon his stony features, before wiping a few droplets of sweat from his brow. "Damn it, it's like an inferno in here!" he shouted at nobody, before furiously adjusting the thermostat and beginning to sob.

Suddenly, an image appeared on the screen of a shining, golden hedgehog with crimson streaked quills. The seven Chaos Emeralds were orbiting slowly and obediently around his body like seven multicolored planets circling their star. Shadow was heaving up on the massive Black Comet, tearing it forcibly for Earth's crust with his bare hands.

"_Chaos Control!"_

The golden hedgehog vanished from the screen, taking the entire comet with him.

"Now if only I could control that sort of power, I-" Eggman stopped, his own words registering on him with such force it felt he'd walked headfirst into a brick wall. "That's it... **That's it! **Oh, why didn't I ever think of this before!"

With excitement burning behind his eerily shining glasses, the doctor got back to work on his blueprints, now drawing with an even greater fervor, and glancing up periodically at the screen, which showed first the comet's destruction with the Eclipse Cannon, and then the hero's triumphant return.

"Yes, YES! With _this, _I'll be unstoppable! The world is mine already," he boasted arrogantly.

As he began putting the finishing touches on the sketch of the centerpiece to his newest plan, the doctor grinned maniacally. He whipped out more blue prints, writing notes on each one for creations he planned to use.

"Nothing will stop me this time. Not even Sonic."

Spinning around in his chair, he sprang up like a flash, stepping forward into the light. The illumination revealed his dramatically changed appearance, which had taken place over the course of the Black Arms invasion. The stresses of long years of failure had profoundly affected him, and the tremendous losses he'd received in the war with the Black Arms had added to their severity.

The doctor was the same overweight, genius inventor he had been before, but there was a certain severity in the perpetual grimace on his face that revealed a sense of newly discovered cynicism. His glasses had become thicker, and yet more like reading glasses in the sense that one could see his brilliant blue irises shining behind them.

The hair of the doctor's mustache had lost its coloring, and was beginning to fade to a dark shade of grey. His dress also had changed, and now he sported a suit that resembled his old one, but the colors had been reversed exactly, with a deep ebony on top and a dark crimson on the bottom.

Pulling out his to-do list and squinting in the light, the prematurely aged doctor scratched off everything that had been on the list, and penned in a single entry, grinning furiously in a way that made the newly formed wrinkles on his face show all the more clearly.

_"Get Shadow."_


	3. Shadow Returns

**Chapter 3- Shadow Returns**

Shuddering and rocking all the way through the Earth's atmosphere, the rusting space shuttle seemed to fall apart as is descended, as if it would become immaterial at any given moment and vanish. Flames licked at the cockpit exterior from the immense heat generated by the friction and gravity acting conversely on the vessel.

Shadow had once survived a free-fall from ARK, so while not exactly fearful as far as safety and survival was concerned, he was gripping the handles tightly and frowning in concentration as he tried without success to keep the craft mostly level.

As he hurtled down entrapped in a shell of shattered steel, the shuttle pierced the clouds, snapping and writhing as metal warped and engine burned. It tilted slightly as it made its final descent, before finally crashing down in a shower of dirt and eviscerated steel, red hot with the searing fire of the journey down.

Plumes of smoke rose in swirling cylinders from the smashed wreckage of his craft. Moments after impact, assorted bystanders that had seen the craft descend congregated as close as the heat would allow them. Some pulled out cameras or cell phones to capture the hero's triumphant return.

A ramp ground against its own gears as it slowly lowered, smoke pouring out of the opening. Shadow stumbled out the doorway, coughing violently and wiping his watery eyes.

Although not exactly making a gallant or dignified entrance, Shadow prompted a collective cheer from the crowd, which clamored around, news reporters pushing to the front and flashes of light illuminating the scene as photos were snapped.

"I'm on the scene at the site where hours after the destruction of the Black Comet, the hero of Earth has returned," one said with excessive cheer into the microphone.

Shadow was still clearing the smoke from his lungs, and hadn't even noticed the spectacle that was being made of him, when the aggressive yet oddly jovial reporter sauntered forward, maneuvering himself as close to the surprised Shadow as he could, even slinging an arm over his shoulder.

"So Shadow, how does it feel to be the hero of Earth?" he grinned, flashing an obnoxiously perfect and enormous smile that looked as if one shouldn't stare directly at it for too long.

The dark hedgehog seemed to take a few moments to take it all in, immediately after which he gruffly removed the newsman's arm, before glaring icily at the crowd.

"This-" Shadow was unable to get more than a word out, as following his first one, the congregated mass of people released a thunderous cheer, drowning him out.

"I-" the same result repeated itself, but with more force.

When his repeated attempts at answering the reporter's question were interrupted in the same manner, Shadow finally bellowed at them to shut up, a vein in the center of his forehead bulging as he hyperventilated.

"Well Shadow, it seems the crowd just can't get enough of you! And more keep coming! How does it feel to be a celebrity?" the mic was shoved up into Shadow's face.

"Uh-" another shriek drowned his reply, as some members of the throng raised up signs in the the "I heart _" style, which a picture of Shadow's head.

'_How does that blue moron deal with this?' _he demanded inwardly. Shadow cleared his throat, and as opposed to before, a dramatic hush fell over the crowd in expectation of what he would say. They now took to cheering/screaming violently after each sentence instead of each word.

"Really, this isn't necessary. I'm not a celebrity," he deadpanned in irritation. The reporter gave him no leeway.

"Powerful, heroic, handsome, and modest! Quite a catch here, ladies," the anchor seemed to half speak, half purr. Shadow's deep crimson eyes widened dramatically.

"No, it's not like that! I-" he desperately tried to interject, but every time he spoke, he seemed somehow to only back himself further into a corner.

"Oh, so the dashing hero already has someone special, eh? So tell me Shadow, who's the lucky girl?" he winked, resulting in a clear look of mortification on Shadow's face, and a vicious blush to tease his cheeks.

"Uh.… I'm not in a relationship," he barely managed to choke out, although the microphone seemed to take his soft voice and make it like the booms of a thunderstorm.

"Well, which is it then? Available, or taken?" the reporter insisted.

"Can I pick neither?" he muttered with clear annoyance, but a pang of hopefulness.

"Single it is then! For those looking for the strong yet sensitive man, this one comes highly recommended. Look how shy he is, he's blushing."

'_Dear God, as if he needed to draw attention to it!' _

"Could you go away and leave me alone?" he snarled, but the reporter ignored his request, continuing his invasive interrogation.

"So tell us Shadow, what inspired you to save the world?"

"Well, that's very personal-"

"How incredibly endearing! This heroic hedgehog was moved to save the world by nothing by his own dedication and moral code! Isn't that right Shadow?"

"Well, not exactly-"

"An inspiration for us all. We'll be back after this short break."

Shadow looked confused as the reporter's tremendous grin faded and he massaged his cheeks.

"Lord, smiling like that for so long is enough to make a guy go postal," he sighed. "Good work though, you're making me look really good, kid."

'_Kid? I'm hardly a kid!' _he growled inwardly, but knowing he'd get nowhere arguing this irrelevant point, and would probably get nowhere arguing any point, he chose one more likely to get somewhere.

"Despite my protest, you're determined to do the same."

The reporter's eyebrows raised as he looked directly at Shadow for the first time. "Hey, lighten up Shaddy. They love you! You're going to be world famous. Imagine your name in lights, a company begging you to be in their next commercial. Think of millions of Chaos-Cola bottles with your face on them! There will be t-shirts and posters, you could have your own talk show! Your phone will ring off the hook, you'll be followed by a crowd of fans everywhere you go! Everyone will want a piece of you! How's that sound?"

There was absolutely silence, but the violent twitching of Shadow's right eyelid betrayed a hint of temporary insanity prompted by consideration of these seemingly torturous events.

Without warning, the obsidian hero used Chaos Control to teleport away from the surrounding crowd, appearing on a hill in the distance.

_"I thought I knew what hell was before...' _a dry inner voice commented. _'But up until that nightmare, what I knew was preschool in comparison!' _

He breathed a sigh of relief at having escaped the prospect of company sponsorships and fan-mail, before wondering what he would do next.

"Well, if I try to go to any populated areas, they'll find me again for sure. I've got to lay low for awhile," he muttered as if he were the victim of a vicious manhunt with bloodhounds.

"Westopolis was devastated when the Black Arms invaded, and the whole city was evacuated," he remembered. "The only people brave or foolish enough to live there now won't concern themselves with me."

The dark hedgehog turned towards the horizon and raced away in the direction of the shattered city, the setting sun casting a soft light over the yellowed fields he raced through, the pressure of his Air Shoes whipping blades of grass about like the winds of a hurricane.


	4. Midnight Starfall

**Chapter 4- Midnight Starfall**

A familiar scene was set before the dark hedgehog. He stood by a tall, finely grooved oak tree, its leaves tinted the myriad shades of fire that the Autumn season brought. The yellowed grass of the hilltop overlooking the city swayed gently in the breeze, and the evening sky was slowly, sluggishly darkening, the first few twinkling lights timidly showing their faces.

At the foot of the hill lay the devastated and largely abandoned city, its buildings all in various states of degradation and ruin. Breathing heavily, Shadow began to slowly walk to the city, unsure of what he would do once he arrived.

He found the streets no more promising or inviting than the outside of the city, and in fact, it seemed _more _ominous, if anything. Skeletal, looming structures cast their long, cold shadows over him, and the pavement was cracked and overturned everywhere he looked.

Downed street lights and power lines littered the streets, and abandoned vehicles lay dormant, their windows smashed and tires slashed. Although there was sparse human habitation, this seemed to consist almost exclusively of huddling figures dressed in torn rags, and peering at him from the corners and alleyways.

Shadow was unnerved by the stillness of the city, although it was an improvement over the clamoring fans, to be sure. He had long gotten used to being widely despised, and now that he was almost universally loved, he was unsure how to act in any situation, especially one where he was being bombarded with questions and sounds. This whole "hero" shtick was entirely new to him, and required a whole change in strategy and philosophy; he could no longer simply kill those who annoyed him. The thought was almost enough to bring a tear to his eye.

Startled from his thoughts by the sound of an engine working, he was surprised to see a tiny Volkswagon lumbering down the road; as of now he'd not yet seen a moving vehicle. As it moved down the street, several of the ragged transients began ambling towards it, a savage look burning in their eyes.

The car accelerated slightly, but it was already too late, it was surrounded by a ring of grizzled, desperate men, and Shadow with it, entrapped in the center. Breathlessly he glanced into the bright yellow car, seeing the fear-stricken face of a young mother, and her infant child in the back seat. Thinking quickly, he jumped on top of the hood of the car, facing off with the looters.

"Back off!" he bellowed in a fearsome and commanding voice. The transients stopped their advance, but became turbulent, all speaking and moving at once in a terrible undulating circle.

The crimson streaked hero's voice rose about the clamor, thundering out one last time. "I don't want to hurt any of you, but I will not hesitate if you try to harm these innocent people!"

A particularly drunken and savage looter slammed into the side of the car, banging on the door with his fists and grinning as the woman screamed. Shadow jumped down from his perch like a swooping eagle, spinning sideways in mid-air to kick the attacker in the side of the head.

Fast as lightning, he followed up by landing three successive punches to the transient's stomach that earned him a loud gasp and a bloody cough. The man rolled on the ground as he landed, scraping himself on the pavement and coming to a stop as a heaving, bloodied mess.

Although, to tell the truth, he'd mostly been a heaving, non-bloodied mess _before _Shadow beat the fear of God into him.

"_He _got off _easy_. Now which of you stupid, ugly maggots wants to try it? Make my day."

Responding in collective fury at being challenged by such a small, seemingly insignificant creature, the ocean of gritty humans broke like a wave upon the immovable obsidian rock. Shadow warded off frenzied attacks by the dozen, replying with quick yet precise blows that hurled the attackers backwards and out of the swarming mass.

As he fought, Shadow didn't speak a word; he hardly seemed to breathe. He became a machine, registering information only on the combat level, merciless, and deadly effective, seemingly moved by pure instinct and reflex rather than thought or emotion.

He opponents seemed unending, but never did he relent, never did he slip up and take a blow. His style was flawless, elegant, almost like a beautiful, violent dance with a thousand teeming partners all surging about a great, blood-spattered ballroom.

The attacks intensified, and finally Shadow seemed to be strained to real exertion, as he released an animalistic battle cry. The dark hedgehog's eyes began to glow, as a deep scarlet light rolled off him in waves.

Leaping into the air, Shadow faced the onslaught of murderous looters, and unleashed his rage in physical form.

"Chaos Blast!" a massive sphere of undulating, blood-red light surged out from the warrior, racing outwards in every direction to form a blinding orb. All of the attacking transients were hurled violently backwards, thrown against the walls of the crumbled buildings to join the others who had been knocked away over the course of the fight.

The attack had left the pavement even further cracked, and various windows shattered, but the Volkswagon at the epicenter was completely untouched.

'_How did I do that?' _he wondered after his initial worry. _'Before, whenever I used Chaos Blast, everything was destroyed. But the car doesn't have a scratch, and it only knocked those men out. How did I control the Chaos Blast?' _

After inhaling deeply, Shadow turned around and knocked on the car window. It slowly rolled down, showing the awed expression of the mother inside.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" he asked sheepishly. It took her a full moment to collect her thoughts and respond.

"Oh, oh! Yeah, I'm- I'm fine, thanks to you," she was visibly shaken. "Um, you must be that hero I've been hearing so much about."

"Correct. Although I can't seem to get away from all the incessant pestering, so I came here to hide," he paused a moment and scrutinized her. "What are _you _doing in a place like this?"

She began to sniffle slightly, a truly pitiable sight. "Me and my husband lived here before the invasion, but we were separated in the evacuation, so I came back to look for him, and was attacked by those lawless heathens!"

She spoke a bit finely for an average person, and he wondered idly if she was a foreigner. "This city is dangerous now, and chances are your husband is gone."

At this she began to sob openly, prompting similar cries from the baby in the back seat. This greatly distressed the Ultimate Lifeform, partly because the child managed to hit that exact octave that rings in your ears, and partly because despite his rough exterior, he was a sucker for tears. It reminded him of the plea Maria made, her face stained in bitter tears.

"It's not safe here. Go to the hill with the oak tree to the East of the city and wait there for me," he breathed.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find your husband."

* * *

The lone warrior stalked through the streets, his crimson eyes flashing to sounds and movement in an unnecessary display of alertness. The woman had provided him with a picture of her husband, a Mr. Isaac Henderson. He was an ordinary sort of guy who worked for a mundane office supply company.

Now the inhabitants of the once great city were wary of him, watching from their hiding spots but never daring to show themselves after his ample display of power.

Admittedly, he wasn't exactly sure where he should look, but he knew that he couldn't return to those weepy eyes empty-handed.

So he trudged on into the city, ignoring the gradually approaching nightfall and pangs of his weariness.

Just as Shadow began to give up hope and contemplate how he would go about telling the woman that Isaac must be dead, he heard a muffled clang echo from down a dark side street to his right. Climbing over an overturned slab of pavement, he walked up a low hill of rubble, the chunks of steel and plaster intermixed with shattered glass and beaten appliances.

The alley was narrow and housed an acrid stench, like the smell of a mountain of rotting corpses that decaying garbage had been tossed onto, which had then been submerged in a sea of excrement.

The Ultimate Lifeform's eyes watered at the scent, and he had to force back his vomit reflex. _'As if I need to add another foul smell to this plethora of odor!'_

Accumulated in the gutters was a murky liquid that teemed with rats, and piled everywhere were piles of accumulated rubbish. Huddling in the midst of this horrid environment and seeming not to notice it was a trio of raggedly dressed men standing around a makeshift fire build inside an oil drum.

One of them was rummaging through a can, doubtless to salvage some piece of garbage, as the dark hedgehog approached, and the three of them glanced up fearfully.

"Hey, it's that guy who beat up Frank and Eddie earlier, and now he's come for us!" one of them exclaimed.

A particularly ragged an stinking transient in the group drew a worn knife from his pockets. "Take one more step, buddy."

"I think there's been a misunderstanding. Whatever you think I did to your friends, I did it to keep them from harming and stealing from a defenseless woman," he replied, his sense of chivalry being obvious to him, but confusing the others.

"Heartbreaking. That's life: you only get by if you take from those weaker than you. Only the merciless survive."

"I don't have time to deal with scum like you properly right now," he growled threateningly. "So I'm going to ask for your help, and you're going to give it to me, or I'm going to apply your twisted philosophy to you. I'm going to be merciless."

One of the looters scoffed, but halfway through the expulsion of air from his lungs, he was cut off by the violent constriction of his throat. With one hand, Shadow had lifted him into the air by the neck of his shirt, pressing him against a wall. With the other, he swiftly twisted the air that held the knife, doubtless spraining the looter's wrist.

The pitiless transient released a muffled scream, while clawing fruitlessly at Shadow's hand. The Ultimate Lifeform released him, but got up into the man's face, pushing him against the wall and seething with rage.

"Killing you would be easy; like snapping a twig, like crushing an ant. So why don't I, huh?"

"It's easy for you to survive! But some of us don't have a choice!"

"You always have a choice," he returned snidely. "And life has never been easy for anyone, especially me. So cut the crap and help me out."

The trio clumped together, the grimiest one (who also seemed ironically to be the leader) massaging his neck.

"What do you want us to do?"

Shadow produced the picture and thrust it forward, making sure all of them saw it very clearly.

"I'm looking for a man named Isaac Henderson. He disappeared after the initial evacuation."

The dull, haggard eyes inspected the photo with a look of disbelief.

"This is the guy you're looking for? He's the leader of one of the gangs that control the city now," they pronounced, the quivering of their voices revealing a fear just a strong directed at Isaac.

"Where can I find him?"

* * *

A ring of oil drums holding fires crackled in an empty lot, small groups of assorted hobos and thieves huddled around them, some cradling weapons in their hands. Shadow glanced in revulsion at the dregs of human society, some of them wearing tattered button-ups and ties left over from their former lives.

Although they were undoubtedly looters and gangsters, they did not appear malicious, instead more resembling a skittish, mangy pack of wild dogs. He stalked through their number, never once turning to the right or the left as he waded through the sea of human flesh.

The transients avoided making eye contact with him, and moved out of his way as he walked, almost seeming to hold a holy reverence for the dark hero. In the center was a man with short, dark hair and piercing hazel eyes. He word a dark burgundy trench coat, and was the only looter who had relatively neat whiskers.

Despite clearly being the most presentable of the transients, he was visibly more scarred and muscled than he appeared in the photograph, to be sure he appeared nothing like a mild-mannered cubicle worker.

"Isaac Henderson, I presume."

Isaac was the only one who seemed not to be afraid of him, and the only one who did not gasp at his mention of the leader's true name.

"I haven't gone by that name since Hell came to Earth. Now I"m known as Kaigar," he had a definitive ice in his voice that suggested a sense of bitterness, particularly at the state of the world. "I've heart of your exploits in _my _city. Now, what do you want?"

"I have a message for you," Shadow smirked, his claret eyes sparkling with amusement. "Karen sends her regards."

Isaac or Kaigar froze in place, staring openmouthed at the Ultimate Lifeform in bewilderment and amazement. "Karen is alive? I thought she died in the invasion!"

"She's alive, and whatever you heard about me fighting your men, it was me protecting her from them," Shadow revealed, and Isaac turned away to hide his emotion.

"I'll make sure the offenders are punished," he growled. "I'm grateful to you. You have earned my trust."

"Keep your trust. Karen is waiting for you outside the city. All I care about is taking you back to her."

Kaigar was silent, and pulled his crimson overcoat more tightly around his body. "I'm not even remotely presentable..."

"Shut up man, she just wants her husband back," Shadow smiled wickedly. Turning to face the Ultimate Lifeform, Isaac nodded.

"Bring me to her."

* * *

By now, night had fallen over the ruins of Westopolis, and without the interference of the city lights, the Milky Way had come out to reveal its splendor lighting up the sky with a swirling streak of sparkling pinpoints.

Shadow walked slowly along, glancing up at the heavens periodically to marvel at its beauty. Behind him was Isaac, his face dead set and unflinching, his thoughts doubtless traveling a thousand miles an hour.

As the two of them approached the hill outside the city, Karen's yellow bug came into view. Upon seeing Shadow returning with a companion in tow, she sprang from the car, rushing towards them with such velocity that it surprised even the ebon speed demon.

She jumped at Isaac, wrapping her arms around him as tears filled her soft brown eyes. Shadow began to quietly walk away, but Kaigar spotted him and called out to him.

"How can I thank you, Shadow?" he smiled, the light of true joy shining in his eyes for the first time in a long time.

Shadow paused for a moment, his face a stony mask, before a slight smirk twisted the corner of his lips. "Never leave the one you love," he sighed before continuing to walk away.

* * *

Soon finding that the reunited couple left his favorite oak tree hilltop, Shadow happily returned there to turn in for the night. He sat leaning against the tree's withered trunk, his fingers relishing the feel of the grass and dirt. The deep night was incredibly peaceful, and he found himself drawn irresistibly to staring up in wonder and admiration at the canvas of light and darkness above him.

The full moon hung idly in the sky like a ripe, silvery fruit, the teasing illumination it provided gentle enough to let the night be deep and full, but bright enough to reflect brilliantly off Shadow's crimson irises.

Sighing in contentment, he sunk down to lay at the foot of the tree, the blades of grass both ticklish and incredibly soft against his back.

Suddenly, a streak of cobalt light flashed across the sky, catching his attention.

'_Maria always said that if you see a shooting star and make a wish, it will come true,' _he smiled slightly and dreamily as he remembered. _'What should I wish for?'_

His thoughts were interrupted by a procession of more than a dozen blazing lights streaking out over the Earth, throwing off trails of myriad colors. The obsidian hedgehog's mouth hung open as countless falling stars filled his vision. The beauty of the midnight starfall reminded him of someone, and he made his wish.


	5. Shadow Wounded

**Chapter 5- Shadow Wounded**

Shadow awoke the next morning from a pleasant dream to see foreboding grey clouds overhead. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes to get the sleep out of them. Abruptly he felt a pang in his stomach, the distinctive bite of hunger.

The professor had designed him to be able to survive without food, but at the cost of depleting his energy reserves. Unfortunately, fighting Black Doom and destroying the Black Comet had left him drained, and he had no Chaos Emeralds to help him replenish. He'd had to expend energy since then as well, first when escaping from the annoying crowd and then when fighting off the transients.

'_If I don't either find food or a Chaos Emerald soon, I'll become weakened, and lose consciousness,' _he realized, before pondering for a moment where he could reasonably hope to find either.

"Well there's no telling where the Chaos Emeralds ended up. My best bet would be to grab a bit to eat to tide me over."

He stood to his feet, but before heading out again into the city, he took a moment to begin thinking about his long term plans.

'_After I lay low for awhile, where am I going to go?' _he mused. '_I have no home, but I can't stay here forever.'_

Instantaneously an image of Rouge and Omega flashed into the dark hedgehog's mind.

'_Our alliance is over. I got what I wanted; I know my purpose,' _he countered, commencing in a sort of "argument" in his head.

'_And yet you feel as if you belong with her, as if you should go to her,' _the other side told him sternly.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, she probably wouldn't even take me in!"

'_You just saved the entire damn planet. A complete stranger would take you in. It's not a matter of who would tolerate you, but more a matter of who you could tolerate.' _

He blushed slightly, and began walking towards the city.

'_Alright. But I'm only staying with her until I can find a place of my own better than a tree on a hilltop,' _he bargained with himself.

Thunder rolled overhead, and the swirling, dark clouds released their heavy loads in a sudden downpour. Water dripped down his form, quickly leaving him soaked and freezing to add to his misery of hunger.

'_And this is why,' _he said dryly to himself.

He ventured into the ruined city amidst the rain, hoping perhaps to find a working pay phone and something to eat, although he seriously doubted he'd find either. He wandered down narrow, abandoned streets, the gutters flowing with miniature rivers.

He walked for what seemed to be forever, his teeth chattering and his entire body convulsing with shivers.

Finally he spied forms moving in the distance, and began to move hurriedly towards them. They were a group of the same looters he'd encountered yesterday.

"Hey you! What did you do with Kaigar?" one of them demanded as they stepped menacingly towards him.

He was in too bad of shape to respond immediately, instead glancing slowly and wearily up.

"I didn't do anything. He left of his own accord."

"Only because you brought him to that vixen!"

Shadow stared blankly at them, seeming not to understand either their reaction to him restoring the couple, or the possibility of anyone insulting a lady. Suddenly the meaning of their anger dawned on him, and in turn inspired fury of his own.

"Isaac only wanted to go back with his wife!" he seemed horrified that the gang would have rather had him not reunite the married couple.

"Yeah well now he won't be with us anymore. What are we supposed to do without our leader?" they demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at Shadow as if he had all the answers.

He stared blankly at them for a moment, burning crimson eyes showing no emotions other than disgust and anger. "Get a real life," he scoffed, as he turned to walk away.

As soon as the Ultimate Lifeform's back was turned, he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder, as a rock collided with him. Although the blow stung, he whipped around with frightening speed, the scowl on his face looking as if it alone could kill.

"Apparently you didn't hear about what happened to that mob of grizzled bums that attacked me yesterday," he said in a low voice.

"Oh, we heard. But you're not just going to walk away from me when I'm talking to you," the foremost transient challenged. Shadow surged forward, tackling the overconfident looter and pinning him to the ground.

"Just who do you think you are?" he growled. "I'm the Ultimate Lifeform, and you're some unarmed hobo, and you make demands of _me_?"

Shadow slammed the gangster's head into the pavement, making stars spin around his vision.

"Run! Go for help!" he squealed, blood already seeping from his head and mixing with the icy rain.

The other couple of looters began to run for it, causing Shadow to spring up, abandoning his initial prey to birth twin orbs of crackling golden energy into his palms. The Chaos Spears screamed in anticipation of spilled blood as he hurled them at the fleeing transients.

The first was struck in the leg, incinerating the appendage and burning it clean off, leaving him lying on the ground clutching his wound. Tiny trails of smoke rose from the stump which remained of his leg, as the energy had instantly cauterized the wound when it hit.

Unfortunately for him, the second looter tried too hard to dodge the attack as it came for him, disrupting its trajectory. Shadow had only aimed for his shoulder, but as he moved, the orb of wildly sparking light thudded into his back, knocking him on the ground in an inch deep puddle of water where he soon afterwards drowned.

Shadow stood in the center of the street, his head spinning and his stomach in a knot. He moved towards the men he'd just downed to make sure they were alive, but he stumbled too violently, and finally settled for just standing and trying to regain his bearings.

He'd forgotten about the first transient, who rose up behind the disoriented hedgehog. He scanned his surroundings and quickly picked up a hefty chunk from a cracked slab of cement. Straining to lift the rock, he slammed it into Shadow, knocking the wind out of him and further disorienting the badly fatigued hero.

Shadow had not idea from which the attack had come, but the numbness brought on my his dizziness, weariness and nausea was not enough to keep him from feeling the white hot fire crawl over his body like a swarm of fire ants as the brick hit him. His face slammed down into the pavement, slicing open on the corner of a slab as he fell.

The wound was a large one, and it was gaping, running all the way from his forehead, over his eyebrow, and down his cheek. Blood seeped out of it, allowing the wound to be stung by the merciless frozen daggers that fell from the black sky.

"How is it that this guy beat a whole mob of us, but I alone took him out?" the transient wondered aloud, flipping the barely conscious Shadow over so that he was lying face up.

The Ultimate Lifeform's heart skipped a beat when he heard the distinctive click of a handgun being loaded, and felt the press of a ring of cold steel against his forehead.

"I'll see you in Hell, you bastard," the transient smirked, before pulling the trigger. His eyes widened as Shadow seemingly vanished the moment before the bullet left his gun, the round bouncing off the pavement harmlessly.

"What the-"

Reappearing from his Chaos Control, Shadow was back on the hilltop where he'd began that morning, only now his energy reserves were utterly depleted, he was still hungry, he was badly wounded, and his core temperature was well below the normal.

He'd managed to save himself from immediate death at the hands of the murderous looter, he'd expended the last of his energy and perhaps only delayed the inevitable.

"No... I can't die here!" he moaned hoarsely at the bitterly weeping sky. "I still have to..."

Shadow fell limp and cold at the base of his beloved tree, the remains of its leaves protecting him from some of the icy downpour. His eyelids fluttered violently as his body fought viciously to stay alive while being assaulted in every possible way.

He did not have long.

* * *

A dull clicking sound rang through the air, each rhythmic, monotone sound noting the passing, and subsequent eternal loss of a single, irrecoverable second. It was a maddening, never-ending song that people hated listening to, because it reminded them that their time was limited, and one day, they'd run out.

A beautiful ivory bat paced back and forth in her living room, the static noise of the television droning on in the background repeating the same old information the news stations had been repeating for the last several days: Earth was saved, Shadow was back, Shadow was gone.

'_Where is he? Is he alright? What if he needs me?' _These sort of thoughts endlessly recurred to her, forming a sort of meter for the percussion of the clock.

She glanced hopefully at the TV as she had many times, but to her disappointment, there was no new information. She took to pacing again, but after that failed to occupy her, she decided to try something else.

"Maybe Sonic has seen him," she reasoned, knowing that the two were rivals, and Shadow may have been to see Sonic to rub his heroics in the blue hedgehog's face.

Excited by the prospect of finally getting somewhere, she held her breath as she dialed the cerulean hedgehog's phone number. It rang several times, but finally the speed demon picked it up. _"Hello?" _

"Hi Sonic, this is Rouge," she said into the receiver, a look of excitement on her face.

"_Oh, hey Rougey. What can I do for you?" _the cerulean hedgehog replied, his voice implying that he'd had other plans, and wordlessly requesting she keep it brief.

"Um, I was just wondering if you've seen Shadow since he came back," she stammered nervously, while twirling a lock of her hair between two fingers. She seemed to be able to hear Sonic's grin, and it annoyed her.

_"Nah, I haven't seen him since he went up to blow up that comet," _he replied in disappointment. _'There's nobody good to race without him around. I thought he was with you.' _

"Well I haven't seen him either," she responded quickly, partly because she simply hadn't and partly out of embarrassment that he'd make that assumption.

"_Huh. That's not like Shadow to not even stop in at your place. I wonder if something's wrong," _Sonic sounded genuinely concerned, which was not a good sign.

"I thought that too... I'm getting worried. I'm going to try and find him," she announced, before continuing on. "Would you mind looking for him for me, Sonic?"

"_Sure I will! I'll send him over as soon as I find him!" _Sonic's suggestion was clear from his tone of voice, but his words were so innocent that it gave him the air of some sort of devious matchmaker.

"...Right. Thanks Sonic. Bye."

Rouge hung up the phone, a look of clear concern written on her features. She began pacing again, wondering where on Earth she should look, and feeling utterly hopeless to find the most important person in the world to her.

The clang of resounding metal clearly announced the arrival of Omega in the room, his head rotating to look at the ivory huntress. "Sensors indicate that Rouge is emotionally distressed. Please state the cause of your chemical imbalance."

Omega wasn't very good at being a comforter, even more than the typical guy who liked blowing things up, because he was insensitive by his very nature, being a machine. Rouge actually sometimes found it amusing, but at the moment she couldn't be cheered.

"Omega, Shadow still hasn't come back since the Black Comet was destroyed, and I'm getting worried about him," she sniffled, a look of desperation on her face. The robot was silent for a moment before he stared up at the ceiling for a good thirty seconds.

"This unit's readings suggest that the recovery of Shadow is of critical importance to Rouge's emotional stability. Capability to locate Shadow is online."

"Wait a minute, you can track Shadow?" a sparkle of hope gleamed in her eyes.

"Affirmative. Eggman specifically designed this unit to track down and control Shadow in case he ever escaped captivity. He installed a Global Positioning Systems program linked to a computer chip located inside Shadow," he revealed, cause Rouge to leap up in excitement.

"Well where is he?" she exclaimed, practically hugging Omega to death.

"Desist! His location is 49 degrees North, 33 degrees West, also known as Westopolis."

"What is he doing there? The city is destroyed and dangerous. There's gang wars and looting, and G.U.N. hasn't even started the recovery," the hopeful look had fled from her soft features, and was replaced by a look of terror.

"I am not aware of his mission there. However, his vital signs are incredibly weak. Be advised, under current conditions he has a few hours to live at most," he droned, seeming unmoved by the prospect of Shadow's death.

Rouge on the other hand broke immediately into tears, tugging on Omega's arm and insisting that they go to Westopolis immediately to save Shadow.

Author's Notes: Yes I know that you all want a Crimson Twilight update, but this chapter was already done by the time I got your reviews telling me that last chapter. I'm working on CT Ch 11 right now, and it should be done soon, so please be patient. I'm very excited about this new story, and I'd like to get the ball rolling on it before I lose all of your enthusiasm.


	6. The Search for Shadow

**Chapter 6- The Search for Shadow**

It was still raining when Rouge and Omega arrived on the outskirts of Westopolis. The sky seemed to boil and froth, churning within itself like a slate colored whirlpool. Icy drops of stinging wetness cascaded down on their heads, soaking the huntress to the bone and making her cat-suit cling tightly to her skin, but clanging osily off Omega's metallic surface.

The weather conditions were interfering with the robot's satellite reception, so in an effort to boost this, a small dish protruded from the back of his head, resembling a comically small parasol extended in a futile effort to keep dry.

Rouge felt totally useless; all she could do was follow her robotic companion as he followed the signal. Unfortunately, the rain was falling hard enough and the gales howling fiercely enough to totally inhibit her from flying, or she might have been able to spy the dark hedgehog from the air and make their search much quicker.

The pair trudged silently along, forced at times to wade through what seemed to be at least six inches of water and mud. Rouge was much to preoccupied to engage in any sort of conversation, and even if she hadn't been, she rarely held any true conversation with Omega. She'd never really felt a connection with him like she had with Shadow, and true to his nature, he was always dreadfully straight-to-the-point, stop-wasting-my-time in mentality. The few times she's bothered to treat him as a real person had been disappointing to say the least, whereas Shadow seemed to only grow more amiable as he grew used to the bat's company.

And so the only sounds that reacher her sensitive ears was that of the pattering raindrops, and the shifting and clanking of Omega's joints as he walked.

Suddenly her robotic companion stopped moving, causing her to bump into him since she had not been paying very good attention. She was no harmed in the slightest by their impact, but was rather surprised by their sudden stop, and glanced up at Omega speculatively.

His torso rotated slowly around until he was facing her, his great bulk looming above her. The bat's bright aquamarine eyes shone with terror, anticipating what he would say and already vehemently denying it in her heart and mind. Omega seemed vaguely sympathetic, or perhaps as sympathetic as an expressionless robot could be. Nonetheless he spoke the hard, cold words into existence, his monotone voice seeming inexplicably to make them harsher.

"This unit has lost the signal for Shadow's tracking device," he droned. "Weather conditions are hindering scanners. Attempting to reacquire signal. "

"But you said Shadow might not have that long," she pleaded, her face fierce with fear and longing. "Please Omega, you have to try harder!"

He paused and stared at her, as if choosing how to best break her heart, for there was no easy way to go about it.

"This unit's scanners are at maximum capacity. Analysis predicts chances of survival at .00001 percent."

Rouge sank to the ground and hugger her knees, more to ward off the frigid coldness inside her than that surrounding her. Bitter, salty tears coursed down her cheeks, intermixing with the freezing ones the sky had cried over her.

"Rouge, state the cause of your... sadness," surprisingly, Omega picked a word that didn't seem as if it had been carved out of steel, likely because he genuinely saw how distressed his ally was.

She continued to cry, looking at Omega with wet eyes, and failing to notice the violent shivering of her wet body.

"Shadow will die unless we find him!" she sobbed pitiably. "How can you not care?"

"I am concerned for Shadow's safety, but analysis of your hormones and pheromones indicate your reaction is one of greater emotional significance."

"I care about Shadow, something _you _could never understand!" she lapsed into anger for a moment, before returning to her weeping.

"You are concealing something. My polygraph detects that you are not being fully honest about your feelings towards Shadow," he said matter-of-factly, simultaneously seeming to know what she felt and be making no innuendoes towards it, a first among her friends.

She stared down at the ground, clutching handfuls of grass to anchor herself in the turbulent world she lived in. He was right, she couldn't imagine life without Shadow. She, the strong, independent woman had become utterly dependent on him, and now she was about to lose him.

"It doesn't matter anymore. He'll be gone soon, and it will be too late," she mumbled darkly, before slipping into a state of lethargy.

Omega came and sat down next to her, covering her with his arms and blocking the icy downpour as best as he was able. She leaned against him briefly, but unlike her ebony companion, he was utterly devoid of warmth, and she soon took to her original position, sitting and shaking miserably until her entire body, inside and out, was numbed by a terrible gnawing sensation.

Omega's satellite dish spun futilely on his back, beeping periodically like the sound of a flatlining heart monitor to indicate that it had no signal, and Shadow would soon be dead.

They sat in silence for a moment, but Omega stood up, renewing the downpour on her head and rousing Rouge. She noted that he was staring intently at something, and followed the line of his sight to find what it was. A patch had cleared in the boiling sea of rainclouds frothing in the heavens, allowing a cylinder of pure, iridescent light to shine down about a patch of the field.

In the distance, under the beam of illumination, a green point of light glimmered, catching her eye. As the pair approached, she could see that the glow had been a Chaos Emerald, which until now had not shone because of the cloud cover.

"Omega, if you use this, can you boost your scanner power?" she asked hopefully, as she picked up the gem and offered it to him.

The robot nodded, his metallic claws wrapped around the emerald. The dish on his back stopped rotating immediately, and the timed beep suddenly died.

"Shadow located. We don't have much time."

* * *

Omega rushed over the grassy field against the beating daggers of ice that fell down, propelled by his rocket boosters and with Rouge sitting on his shoulder. After the miraculous moment of clarity that allowed them to find the Chaos Emerald, the storm had intensified, adding yet more urgency to their mission.

They came to the top of the hill, the sea-like expanse of soaked grass spread out surrounding them. Staring out at this emerald infinity, they saw that it was broken by a solitary object: a tall, withered oak tree with sparse Autumn leaves that whipped about in the winds.

Under the tree lay sprawled a shivering and miserably soaked mass of black that could only be Shadow. Rouge's breath caught in her lungs for a minute when her eyes caught sight of him, as Omega propelled them rapidly towards the tree. The world raced by as a colored blur while they approached the hilltop, as the radar dish disappeared into the robot's bulk.

Skidding to a stop in front of the ancient oak, the ivory huntress dropped down from her perch on Omega's shoulder, landing next to her ebony companion. He was absolutely soaked in water, and only his being on top of a hill had kept him from being entirely submerged and subsequently drowned.

Shadow's fur covered chest rose and fell sharply, as if he struggled and labored violently for each breath, and his eyelids were closed almost all the way, revealing a thin sliver of dilated crimson orbs.

"Rouge?" he coughed, his eyelids fluttering as he tried weakly to get up.

"Sh, I'm here now. It's going to be okay," she said soothingly, as she wrapped her arms around his limp body. He felt as cold as a block of ice, so she hugged him tightly to herself, pressing him against her soaked form.

Omega lifted the pair up in his mammoth arms, igniting his rockets without a moment's notice, allowing the reunited team to make their way hastily away from the ruins of Westopolis. As Rouge sat in the robots grasp, Shadow lay incoherently over her lap, shivering and pulling himself into her comparably warm body.

She was surprised by this seeming display of affection on the part of the black hedgehog, and her cheeks became a deep rose in response. Rationalizing however that he was delirious, if not unconscious, she shrugged slightly, and began gently stroking his quills.

* * *

A few residual drops of water still rolled off of the trio as they finally arrived at the front door of Club Rouge, as the ivory huntress slid down from Omega's grasp, her prince cradled within her arms. Shadow was dead weight, sinking heavily into her arms, making her strain with all her might. It reminded her of once before when the same thing had happened.

Flashback

_ "This isn't good... Oh, well I'll take you to Club Rouge..." she said to the disoriented Shadow, who had sustained a heavy blow from one of the doctor's guard robos. _

_ "Shadow, can you even walk on your own?" he wasn't moving, he was completely unconscious. _

_ She heaved up the limp form of the unconscious Shadow, dashing out of Gimmee Shelter as fast as she possibly could while carrying the ultimate lifeform. She soon arrived at the door of Club Rouge, Shadow's weight beginning to exhaust her._

_ "You're still alive, right? Shadow?" she huffed, setting him down in front of the club to fumble with her keys. _

_ "He's not bad looking, but..."_

_End Flashback_

_ She'd carried him to Club Rouge once before, and as he'd laid there helpless in her arms, those were the moments when she'd first begun to really, truly feel for him. When they worked together for Dr. Eggman, Shadow had been an assignment, an attractive assignment, but an assignment nonetheless. But when she'd come to grips with the fact that even with his impressive speed and agility, his powerful muscles and mysteriously potent energy, Shadow could still need help, she'd begun to see him as a person and not a lab experiment. _

Feelings she'd never known she had rose up in her, and from that moment onwards, she'd always looked upon him with a complete distinction from the rest of the world. She was fiercely independent, but she felt as if she and Shadow complimented each other, made up for each others faults with their individual strengths. She thought of him as the one person in the world she knew she could count on, ideas which were only perpetuated by his recent heroics.

And now she was in that same position, standing in front of Club Rouge, fumbling with her keys, the object of her desire laying at her feet, a mere hair's breadth away from death and utter separation.

Once she'd unlocked the door, she stooped over, trying to pick Shadow up again. When she encountered some difficulty, Omega offered to carry Shadow for her, but the thieving bat refused to accept his help, insisting on carrying their obsidian ally herself.

Coming into the front room, she set Shadow down on the couch while she slipped out of her boots, as Omega stomped in behind her. The robot stared first at Rouge, and then at Shadow, seemingly to be calculating something mathematical in his head, before abruptly turning, and disappearing into the walk-in closet he'd claimed as his own when Rouge had offered him a room.

Rouge's apartment in the Club was by no means spacious, but it had adequate living quarters for Rouge, and enough room to be comfortable, while been close in enough not to feel cavernous. Off to the side there was the main floor of the nightclub, where there was a casino and bar that Rouge had not operated in some time, and probably would not for some time hence.

Picking Shadow back up, she hefted him into her room, laying him down in the middle of her soft queen size bed, and pulling the covers over him in order to warm him up.

Realizing that her clothes were still completely soaked, she opened the closet and thumbed through, picking something more casual to change into. She stepped out into the bathroom, leaving the sleeping Shadow.

A few minutes later, the ebony hedgehog's eyes cracked open, the light initially irritating them. He felt as if he were swimming in clouds, warm... feathery... clouds. His eyes opened rather abruptly, darting around to room, certain he was dead.

To his relief, he'd not passed into the next world, but rather into the heart covered, pink folds of Rouge's bed. He was, despite a pounding in his skull and a horrible clawing feeling in his insides, coherent enough to at least realize where he was and how he must've gotten there, and after straining a minute, he thought he could hear water running in the next room.

Straining to sit up, the ultimate lifeform found himself utterly incapable of even moving, as his entire body was wracked by soreness and chills, as if he existed inside a cocoon of ice that was wrapped in fire. Resigning himself to the fate of laying in such an incredibly... pink bed, which was a tad bit awkward considering it was Rouge's bed in particular, he laid back and breathed deeply, attempting to quell his headache.

The water stopped and the bathroom door opened, releasing a cloud of steam into the room with it. Rouge stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her otherwise bare form, the outfit she'd chosen folded neatly on the counter. Ironically, the steam released helped to quell the black hedgehog's aching head, but he continued with his deep breathing, giving the appearance of being asleep.

"Hm, so the prince still hasn't awoken?" she cooed, stepping forward to kiss Shadow on the forehead.

A fraction of a millimeter before her lips brushed against his skin, cracked crimson eyes shot open, flicking first to her and her puckered, descending lips, and then to her towel covered body.

"Shadow, you're awake," she backed up, producing a smile so innocent it seemed an invisible halo floated above her head.

"Um... yeah," he choked, his cheeks burning as his eyes roved over her uncontrollably. "You're... in a towel."

She looked down at herself, feigning that she had forgotten this.

"Right you are, Shadow. I'll just have to change into something more suitable, won't I?"

She could hear Shadow choke on his own breath, as he half buried himself under the covers.

"Oh, don't worry Shadow, of course I'll change in the bathroom," she winked, before stepping in and closing the door.

"That girl is going to be the death of me," he sighed, trying desperately to calm himself before she came back in.

In a moment Rouge had come back through the door, now wearing a regular t-shirt that didn't quite manage to cover her midriff, and and some fuzzy, heart printed pajama bottoms.

___'Thanks Rouge, you went from steam covered and barely wrapped in a towel to bare-bellied and barely wearing pajamas!' _he gulped involuntarily. _'Why God, do you hate me?' _

_The alluring huntress came and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning over Shadow slightly as she attempted to make conversation with the simultaneously pained and embarrassed hedgehog. _

"So what were you doing in Westopolis anyways, Shadow?" when she said his name, there was a distinctive ring in her voice, a happy little chirp.

"Well, to be honest, I was running from all the attention I've gotten since the whole 'Black Comet' incident," he managed to cough hoarsely out, now beginning to feel something in his limbs other than sheer soreness, but the absolute lack of ability to move still present.

"Shadow, have you become a celebrity?" she giggled, laying forward over his legs and pressing her chest down on them.

"Uh... well, I certainly hope not," he stammered. "I'd die from all the public attention."

"Well, if you don't get your rest, you'll die anyways," she noted with a hint of sarcasm. "And we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

He nodded, as she got up, and turned on a lamp by the bedside, before turning off the main light. "I'll let you get your rest now. You've had a long day, Shadow."

"Rouge?"

She stopped at the doorway and looked back at him, aquamarine eyes glimmering in the glow provided by the bedside lamp, dim streaks of blackness crawling over her features, and giving her a sense of dimension and singularity.

He had to force out the single word, but he needed to tell her how much he appreciated all she'd done for him, how much he appreciated _her._

"Thanks," was all he could muster. She seemed to understand, returning a broad smile before turning around, hips swaying gently as she left, shutting the door behind her.

Rouge opened a drawer in the front room, retrieving a couple of spare blankets she kept around and an extra pillow, before arranging these in a comfortable position on her couch. Sinking down into the bed that was admittedly, not as soft as she was used to, she reminded herself that she was doing this for Shadow, to show him she cared about him.

_'He doesn't have a clue how you feel, and as soon as he can get out of that bed, he's going to be gone again,' _she said in dread to herself. Initiating in a parody of Shadow's arguments with himself.

"I can win him over..." she mused quietly to herself. "I love him, and in time, he may come to love me."

Author's Notes: Very _An Ultimate's Legacy _inspired at the end there, but with my own original twist, he he. So, Shadow and Rouge are together now (sort of) with each harboring feelings of one sort or another for the other, and each similarly unaware of the reciprocity. They're so cute. XD

*Mimicks TV comercial narrator* Will Shadow ever figure out exactly what he feels for Rouge? Will Rouge gain enough confidence to force Shadow to come to grips with it? Dr. Eggman has been cooking up something nefarious that probably isn't brownies; exactly what is he up to? Will Shadow ever stop being taken by surprise by Rouge's attire, and subsequent cleavage?

Well, probably not on the last one...

Find out, in the next exciting and romantic installment of "Ebony and Ivory."


	7. Shadow is Sick

Author's Notes: Alright, there'll be absolutely no further updates to EAI until I can make myself get further on Crimson. I did have a sudden burst of inspiration on this, and I'm sure you can all understand that I don't want to quell any inspiration, but at the same time, it's been about a month now... So I've got to do something.

For those of you who don't know, I recently set up a DeviantArt account on which to also post some of my stories. An artist by the screename of CandyandBiffle on that site posted a piece of art for Chapter 6 of this story, so if any of you would be interested in taking a look at that, just go to my account on that site, and it'll be near the top of my favorites.

Some inspirations for this chapter came from the Flu Bug story by the Nevermore Raven.

An element of this chapter was included because of a detail featured in the art piece drawn by CandyandBiffle.

Ironically, I've been sick for the last week... God has a sense of humor.

**Chapter 7: Shadow is Sick**

When he awoke, Shadow was surprised and slightly afraid to find himself in utter and complete darkness, as if he'd woken up without waking up. Immediately running his fingers over his eyes, he soon discovered that the lids were tightly closed, sealed shut by some sort of disgusting crusty material.

Although repulsed, he gently picked it away, finally allowing his eyelids to slowly glide open, seemingly flooding his vision with the, in actuality, rather dim light. The room looked unchanged from the night before, and with frustration he noted that the only part of his body that he seemed to be able to move freely was his head.

His arms hung limply by his sides, and his eyes were teary and bloodshot. He was having some difficulty breathing, which he quickly recognized to be rather heavy nasal congestion, the sum totality of which could only mean one thing...

He was sick.

Shadow had been sick _once _before on the ARK when he was very young. The sterile metal halls contained sparse bacteria, and they were often quickly eliminated by a top-of-the-line sanitary system. The researchers had become worried that he would never build up any of the same natural immunities that a dweller on the surface would, so they gave him a super-immunization.

Fight off most of the diseases known to mankind all at once had not been easy on him, even with an immune system that was by far superior to that of a human being. He'd been sick for a week, and worse, had to kept away from Maria the entire time... lest she catch even the slightest hint of his infection.

Pulling him from his thoughts, the door cracked open, revealing brilliantly sparkling sapphire eyes. Upon seeing Shadow awake, the ivory huntress stepped through the door, Omega stomping along begrudgingly behind her. She was clad in a loose fitting, cream colored tank top, and a pair of simple, hip-hugging jeans. A pleasant aroma wafted gently from the plate she carried, and Shadow's eyes flicked immediately from her, to it, and back to her.

Their robotic companion came to a stop directly next to Shadow, and ran a beam of dim green light over the incapacitated hero, silently analyzing the results, as Rouge sat coquettishly on the edge of the bed.

"Readings show that Shadow is battling a severe, mutated strain of the influenza virus. His immune system is functioning at approximately one percept capacity, which is about half that of a normal person," he reported, increasing Rouge's concern.

"Shadow, are you okay?" she'd already heard Omega's report, but not much sympathy could be derived from those cold words, and she wanted to hear it from the obsidian hedgehog himself.

"I'm- I'm fine," he insisted, determined to appear strong despite sniffling profusely.

"Hmm... that's a shame. In that case, you won't be needing this extra special Chicken Noodle soup I made in case you were sick..."

The black hedgehog seemed horrified at such a prospect.

"Oh... the pain! Argh, I think I'm terminal," he moaned in a hyperbolic fashion. "It hurts... everywhere."

"Well, shall I kiss it then, make it feel better?" she winked. "You're such a baby," she teased as she placed the plate in front of him.

Seeing the food in front of him swirling in a vat of warm broth and catching the scent, which mixed indecipherably with Rouge's own sweet smell was enough to make Shadow wonder if he was in heaven. It set his stomach rumbling with a volume that seemed to mock thunder. Rouge giggled slightly at the gurgling inside him, while noting that he seemed to have an ascetic appreciation for both it, and her.

Yet to his intense frustration, his muscles were still so sore that at his every attempt to move his arms, white hot pain shot up his form, wracking his body.

"Well, aren't you going to eat it?"

"I would," he began, licking his lips as he looked at her, "but seeing as how my arms can't move..." He lamented this with a sobriety that seemed appropriate for a funeral.

"It appears Shadow will require assistance," Omega commented, while placing the Chaos Emerald on the night-stand to accelerate his recovery by replenishing his energy reserves. "...I just realized, I must... depart in order to complete a... um... top... secret... objective. Salutations."

Shadow's eyes seemed to simultaneously beg Omega to stay, as if he thought Rouge were a carnivorous animal that he thought would devour him, and at the same time, implored him to leave in anticipation of this very... consumption

Opting for the latter route, the robot stomped out of the room, almost seeming to smirk devilishly as he went.

The crimson streaked hedgehog seemed to be in shock, his eyes as wide as saucers as Rouge leaned over him and conveyed the meal to his lips in small, deliberate portions. She sat across his lap, the dish laying in her own, as she fed him as tenderly as one might care for a dearly beloved child.

"Why... are you doing this?" he asked when she had finished, but she remained straddling him nonetheless. "Why are you taking care of me? Nobody_ ever_ takes care of me."

She smiled slightly, prompting a rush of unfamiliar warmth that coursed through his body, an altogether foreign, but not in the least unpleasant feeling.

"I care about you, Shadow. I want to take care of you," she answered, removing herself from the bed, and taking the pleasurable warmth with her.

For a moment that felt like an eternity he considered asking her to come back, it felt so right with her near him, but being more than a little confused by the sensations within him, he decided against it. Rouge commented that he should rest, and began to leave, before he called out.

"Please don't go!" his voice was hoarse, and the exclamation exploded from his lungs with involuntary force, and was followed by a rough cough.

Rouge blinked in disbelief, he heart aflutter. _'Did he... just say please?'_

_She turned in surprise to look at him, and he seemed to be wrestling with something deep inside of himself. Now that he'd asked her to stay, he knew he had to come up with an excuse. _

"I... I find your presence calming," he said, seeing a distinct flicker of joy in her eyes.

Rouge couldn't keep a slight smirk from finding its way onto her face, as she sat down on the bed next to Shadow. He moved over to make room for her, and waited for the feeling of warmth to return to him.

But it did not, and after a moment, he realized that he only experienced the sensation when he was touching her. Pondering this for a moment, he cleared his throat and spoke up.

"...Um, Rouge? I feel cold," he explained, a crimson tinge coloring his cheeks as he continued. "and you're warm."

Rolling her eyes but smiling nonetheless, she slipped under the covers, causing Shadow to immediately snuggle up to her. She thought with surprise that he was being strangely affectionate, and rationalized that his cold was probably messing with his head, but she had to admit she enjoyed it.

Upon bringing himself into direct contact with the alluring bat, he found that the sensation of warmth returned with even greater intensity in the pit of his stomach, followed by a frantic pounding in his ribcage.

_'Mm, she's so... soft,' _he couldn't help but think, wondering at how layers of thick blankets could not dispel his chills, but the feeling of her seemingly volcanic form pressed against him ignited an inferno in his chest.

Rouge didn't care in the slightest if she caught whatever sickness Shadow had; he needed her, so she would be there for him. That was what would get through to him, and seemed to be doing so already.

As the ultimate lifeform drifted off into a peaceful sleep, he unconsciously maneuvered himself closer to the comforting warmth, eventually resulting in the two of them becoming inseparably intertwined, so that Rouge could not have removed herself from his embrace if she had wanted to.

But she didn't want to let go, she wanted to stay with him like that forever. In that moment, there was no awkwardness, no concerns, just Rouge pressing her head against the soft fur of his chest and lying on top of him. She was soon also sleeping peacefully.

* * *

Either the Chaos Emerald, or some supernatural vitalizing affect Rouge had on him sped Shadow's recovery to remarkable speed so that he still felt some of the symptoms of his flu, but was now able to move. He woke up before Rouge did, not remembering they'd effectively fallen asleep snuggling, and having been a little bit delirious when he'd been awake last.

He felt a weight on his body, and a curious separation between himself an his hands. Eyes snapping open in surprise, he found his hands to be resting absently on Rouge's shapely backside, a realization that combined with the incredible closeness of their bodies, produced a furious reddening of his cheeks.

Quickly removing his hands and pulling away the covers, the truth of their position was made clear to him abruptly. Rouge's head was nestled into the downy patch of white below his collarbone, and her arms were wrapped around his torso, pressing her chest into him. Their hips were about even with each other, and were for the most part imperceptibly either deliberately or inadvertently pressed together by the way their legs held them together like a vice. Each one of the pair was wrapped tightly around to other like braided strands.

The position was one of great contradiction, almost to the degree of paradox. At the same time as he felt the impossible softness and warmth of her body was surreally comforting, the realization of the awkwardness of it created an overwhelming sense of discomfort.

All at once he wished that she would wake up and that she would stay like she was; he wanted to distance himself from her touch and the incredible, uncomfortable feelings it aroused, and yet he felt as if somehow, they should be and could be in an even deeper, almost supernatural embrace.

The conflict inside of him confused Shadow, for he had no idea what was occurring within him. He'd never felt like this before, and was entirely unsure of how to proceed... whether he should be cold and distant, or whether he thirsted for more.

_'What is happening to me?' _he wondered, as Rouge's mild and milky sweet scent rolled over him in waves with the gentle rising and falling of her bosom.

'What is this bewitching effect she has on me, that at her touch my heart races and my stomach churns?'

His thoughts seemed to prompt her awakening, as her long lashes drew up lids like the strings on a puppet, revealing glittering aquamarine orbs that mimicked precious jewels.

Her own initial reaction was identical to his own: ignorance followed by surprise, surprise followed by investigation, investigation followed by inevitable mental innuendo.

If she was ashamed, or derived no pleasure from waking up straddling shadow, with her entire form pressed against him she gave no sign of it, rather smiling sweetly, almost seductively. She sat up slowly, but tightened the grip her legs had on the helpless black hedgehog, effectively placing all her weight against his pelvis.

"Well... good morning Shadow!" she said cheerily, yawning and stretching. "You sleep well?"

The dark hedgehog had trouble summoning his voice, and attempted to wiggle out from underneath her, but to his chagrin, this only produced the effect of grinding himself against her. Realizing that she was all-too aware of this, and seemed to be taking an uncomfortable amount of pleasure in watching him squirm, he saw the necessity of making some sort of reply.

"Uh, yeah... I feel... much better now," he half gasped, half said, as he struggled to contain the signs of his arousal. "So, exactly why did we..."

The phrase 'sleep together' came to mind, but he didn't want to make matters worse for himself by saying something with such a dual nature. Rouge smirked and placed a hand lightly on the ivory crest of his torso, stroking him gently.

"Something about you being cold," she explained, giggling slightly afterwards.

With her on top of him like this, the last thing he felt was cold: hell itself seemed to course through his veins.

Having made her point, had her fun, and not wanting to torment him too much and scare him off, Rouge reluctantly released him, crawling lazily off and allowing Shadow to get up. He seemed to do so rather hurriedly, as if he half believed she would pounce on him again at any moment, tackling him violently to the bed and having her way with him... which probably wasn't incredibly unlikely.

Rouge once again rifled though her closet, picking some casual garments for the day ahead. She stepped out into the bathroom, leaving Shadow alone with his thoughts and unbelievably turbulent emotions.

He noted absently that he was barefoot, and that his air shoes sat neatly in the corner, a pair of socks folded over them. Walking over the retrieve his belongings, he noted as he put them on that the socks were not his own, but rather ones Rouge had bought for him since she'd taken him in.

_'How much trouble has she gone to just to make me comfortable, and give me a place to stay,' _he realized suddenly. _'I didn't even have to ask, she came looking for me... Rouge wants me here... I can never thank her enough. She saved my life.' _

_He glanced about his surroundings as he waited for Rouge who, like most (or all) women, seemed to deliberately take eons to change, just to be torturous and increase the anxiety of those waiting on them. _

On the bedside stand, he noticed a photo in a hot pink frame, which was covered in rhinestones. The picture was a snapshot, ironically enough taken by Omega, of Rouge viciously hugging Shadow and him gasping for breath, the almost indecipherable curve of a smile at the corner of his lips and the faintest hint of red teasing his cheeks.

Abruptly emerging from the bathroom in a light pink, skin-tight t-shirt and a pair of shorts, she winked at Shadow as his eyes flicked involuntarily to her. He looked away abruptly, turning back to the picture, and she noticed what his attention was fixed on, and picked up the photo in appreciation.

"We look good together," he noted, while her ebony companion nodded silent. "But you _always _look good, Shadow." He was hardly hearing her words, and he couldn't keep his eyes from flicking back to her again and again, particularly her eyes, they were mesmerizing.

"I have the day off from work, so why don't we do something fun?"

He thought about this for a moment, and although he was quick to agree to spending time with her, he honestly had trouble generating ideas for leisure activities, especially one conducted with another.

"I'd like that, but what should we do?"

She seemed surprised that he had trouble conjuring ideas, but determined to expand his experience in everyday life and treat him as a person, not a lab experiment, she offered her own suggestion.

"We'll go to the Ice Cream shop!" she smiled, clutching his hand tightly and pulling him along, as a distinct rose inflamed his face.

* * *

A quaint little bell rang joyously as the pair came through the door, Rouge still tightly gripping his hand. They were met with the distinct aromas of frozen desert: freezer coolant, milk, and the conglomeration of all imaginable flavors and toppings, from classic vanilla to some more eccentric ones.

An incredibly wide man with a flat, square face greeted them with a smile that oddly enough resembled a grimace of pain. He looked as if he must have lived in the parlor, because he looked as if he worked there out of a passion for the delicacy itself, and perhaps for that reason, would be nearly too wide to fit through the door.

"What can I do for the lovely couple?" his smile broadened, stretching his face until it seemed the taut skin of his fleshy cheeks would tear. Shadow quietly slipped out of her grasp, stepping forward to peer boyishly through the fogged pane.

"What is it?" he asked in what seemed to be a comical mixture of wonderment and fear.

The shopkeeper's grin died all at once, as such a sombre look came over his face, one would've thought the end of the world was at hand. Indeed, his reaction to the near destruction of the planet by the Black Arms had not been so severe.

"You're- you're... an Ice Cream virgin?" he said in a low, rumbling tone.

"I would certainly think so!" he wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but he'd heard the word 'virgin,' and responded literally. He didn't know where this was going, or what this 'Ice Cream' stuff was, and he was starting to get suspicious.

The man's smile abruptly returned in greater force, as he clapped enthusiastically and threw confetti in the air. "Then your first one is free!"

_'Where on Earth did he conjure that confetti from?' _Shadow thought in confusion.

The obsidian hero seemed to relax at this anticlimactic resolution to their conversation, but seemed a little put off nonetheless. Rouge stared at him expectantly, a slight smile curling the corners of her lips.

"...I'll try this '_vanilla_' substance. I hope it doesn't kill me," he finally said with a bit of hesitation.

"I'd like mine to be _chocolate_," Rouge added, as the shopkeeper wiped his hands on his apron, and began dishing the treat.

The two of them sat at a booth in the shop, which was otherwise deserted except for the winking shopkeeper.

He was surprised at first by the temperature of the snack, but found its sweetness to quickly overwhelm his sense of taste. The flavor of vanilla was mild but nuanced, sweet and simple and deliciously milky. It reminded him vaguely of something... or someone, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was love at first taste.

Similarly, the chocolate (which was Rouge's favorite) had its own unique taste. Not as sweet as the creamy vanilla, it was dark, with an ever so slight bitter aftertaste that added character and depth. It seemed one moment sweet and the next black, but the contrast made is fascinating to her. As had been shown many times before, it had a chemical effect that warmed the body and tickled the stomach, sweeping her off her feet. It was often compared with the feeling of being in love.

When the two of them had finished, they went up to the counter so Rouge could pay. The ebony hedgehog's piercing crimson eyes scanned over the menu in curiosity, wondering what other delights were there to be had.

His eyes fell on the word 'milkshake' and his brows furrowed.

"They... shake... milk? What exactly is the difference between shaken and unshaken milk?" A mental image of a cow strapped in to some sort of enormous shaking machine came to him with amazing clarity.

The vanilla-colored bat laughed at Shadow's sometimes surprising naiveté, making him cross his arms indignantly. "No, silly. They mix together milk and Ice Cream and _then _shake it," she continued chuckling at his expense.

"Well, then why not call it an Ice Cream Milkshake?" this seemed to be basic logic to Shadow, that something was called what it was.

"Because it's easier to just say milkshake, Shadow. You can be so stubborn!" she said this as if it were an endearing trait. "Oh, don't be so grouchy about it. I'll get you one and you can try it yourself."

Every interaction between the two, the store keeper's grin grew wider, until it seemed to defy the laws of physics. By the time Rouge turned to make their final purchase, he was smiling blindingly.

"What flavor, miss?"

She thought for a moment, trying to pick one the chocolate-colored hedgehog would like. "Banana."

Slurping contentedly from the straw, the obsidian hero left the store, failing to notice that Rouge had casually linked arms with him. "This is... amazing... This is... incredible!" he said breathlessly in between drinks. "This is... the Ultimate milkshake!"

He cried out over-dramatically, attracting the attention of the passing people. With a shrug and a sheepish smile, he moved along, now speaking in a whisper to Rouge, the sound of his breath in her ear thrilling her.

"It is my new life mission to create the perfect milkshake!" he announced. "Come, Rouge, to the bat-cave! I need your milk!"

"There's multiple things wrong with what you just said."

Author's Notes: Very much a fluff chapter, obviously. For those of you who prefer action, I can assure you that there will be plenty of it, but I want to make sure that I spend plenty of time developing the romance side of the story before I introduce any distractions. After all, remember what my goal here was.

It seems Shadow's all better. Medicine to the soul is medicine to the body as well, it appears.

*Mimicks TV announcer on a cheesy soap opera* Alright everybody out there in TV land, it looks like Shadow and Rouge's relationship is accelerating, as he wrestles with the meaning of his feelings, and his place in the world. But Shadow is an independent spirit, and will not allow himself to be coddled forever. How will he be at peace with his masculinity (especially as the Ultimate Lifeform) with Rouge taking care of him? Will he ever learn to respond in kind of Rouge's flirting? Will she stop conveniently finding ways to crawl on top of him? (Probably not.) Find out, in the next exciting installment of Ebony and Ivory!


	8. Always by Your Side

Author's Notes: Remember Omega's "secret mission" in the last chapter that he used as a lame excuse to leave Rouge and Shadow alone? Well, there was actually more truth to that then you might think.

I don't know why this chapter contains so many Beatles references, but I just saw the opportunities and went for it.

So... super long chapter. Consider this may way of making up for the short early chapters and delay in Crimson. Don't get used to this. :P

**Chapter 8- Always By Your Side**

All was quiet except for the sound of pages turning. Shadow sat idly in the couch, a stack of books taller than he was piled haphazardly next to him. He'd heard about libraries from Rouge, and then promptly "check them out" from a local Barnes and Nobles.

He had "checked out" every book they had on frozen deserts, from "Roman Ice Cream: Historical Origins of an American Classic" to "The Perfect Milkshake for Dummies."

By now, he had read enough that he could probably qualify for a pHd in Ice Cream, if there were such a thing.

Sitting on the ivory bat's breakfast table was a bowl containing at least thirty bananas, and doubtless nestled in the freezer was also several gallons of vanilla ice cream. He was trying his hardest to stay focused on his newly found hobby, but try as he might, he could not keep his mind from wandering seemingly casually back to his ivory companion. She had gone to work since he was recovered, and left him to his experimenting and musing, like some Ice Cream obsessed mad scientist.

He had a variety of aspects to contemplate, not the least of which was what direction his life would take from this point onwards. Now that he'd taken care of Black Doom, what should he do? Sure, he had the vague sense that he was a "hero" of Earth, and had a duty to protect it, but what about when the world was not threatened on such a planetary scale?

Could he really sit idly about and make milkshakes for the rest of his life? As much as he liked the desert, he didn't think so.

Then why was he still here? What was he accomplishing?

He'd already realized that Rouge must want him with her, and if her rescuing him from Westopolis wasn't enough to demonstrate this, her... friendliness since then most certainly was, even if he did not fully grasp its significance.

But now that he'd recovered, he remembered the promise he'd made to himself on the hill outside Westopolis.

_Flashback_

'_After I lay low for awhile, where am I going to go?' he mused. 'I have no home, but I can't stay here forever.'_

_Instantaneously an image of Rouge and Omega flashed into the dark hedgehog's mind. _

'_Our alliance is over. I got what I wanted; I know my purpose,' he countered, commencing in a sort of "argument" in his head._

'_And yet you feel as if you belong with her, as if you should go to her,' the other side told him sternly. _

"_Oh, don't be ridiculous, she probably wouldn't even take me in!"_

'_You just saved the entire damn planet. A complete stranger would take you in. It's not a matter of who would tolerate you, but more a matter of who you could tolerate.' _

_He blushed slightly, and began walking towards the city. _

'_Alright. But I'm only staying with her until I can find a place of my own better than a tree on a hilltop,' he bargained with himself. _

_End Flashback_

"Hm. I did say I would only stay with Rouge as long as I have to. But where will I go?"

He thought for a moment, and became fully conscious of the fact that he had no home. And yet, he felt ill at ease staying with her, he was too powerfully affected by her presence. Her advances brought feelings that were confusing and chaotic, like being swept along in a swiftly running river to who knows where. He would have to pull himself out, for he could not swim against the torrent much longer.

His thoughts were disrupted by the ringing of the phone. He looked around, puzzled by the sound. Spying it sitting on the stand next to the left of the couch, he picked up the headset with a bewildered and unsure expression.

"Hiya Rouge, this is Sonic,"a voice crackled electronically out of the speaker. Shadow had never used a phone before, but he'd used a radio, and quickly assumed it worked on the same principle.

"This is not Rouge, this is Shadow you moron. Over," apparently he'd assumed that he needed to speak the same as he would with a radio as well.

"Oh hey Shadow, good to hear from you again!"

"Can't say the same for you, over," he remarked sarcastically.

"Still as sunny as always, I see. Say, what'cha doin' at Rouge's place, hmm?"Shadow didn't like the strange tone in Sonic's voice, and he didn't like where this conversation was going either.

"That's none of your concern!" by now he was distressed enough that he forgot to say 'over.'

"A little... touchy, are we?" he snickered. "Alright, I respect your privacy..."

Shadow noted offhandedly that he didn't think he'd ever heard Sonic say 'respect' before.

"...Just let me know if any little ones... pop up. I'll need to remember to child-safe my house so that I can spend lots of time with 'em, spoil 'em rotten."

"Why you-! There is nothing going on between Rouge and I! And if there were... which there's _not_... and if I ever do have children... which I _won't_, I'll make sure you never see them!"

"Oh... so you're at the 'if' stage, huh?" Sonic chuckled devilishly, his smirk almost seemingly to be visible through the line. "Well it's no good denying it now buddy. It's not very much of a leap from if to when."

Shadow growled in irritation, while rubbing his temples to sooth his rising headache. "You are the most obnoxious moron I've _ever _had the displeasure of associating with."

"What I'm saying is only annoying you because I'm right and you know it," the cerulean hero countered. "So, if you're got everything all figured out, why do you think she rescued you?"

"WHAT? How do _you _know about that?" he spat, now all the more livid because Sonic was aware of his moment of weakness.

"Unlike some people, I actually talk to my friends. Rouge told me everything."

'_What did I ever do, God? What!' _

"You need to answer my question: why are you there?"

"Because Rouge is grateful that I saved the planet," he spurted with deliberate force, as if he were hurling a projectile at Sonic.

"That's not what I'm talking about, although we both know that's not the truth. I'm talking about why you are staying there."

He paused a moment, wondering this for himself, for indeed, he'd not resolved the dilemma even for himself. "I... don't know. I may not be for much longer."

"Dude, where will you go?" you could hear Sonic's disappointment at the prospect, although one might guess he'd have little interest in Shadow and Rouge's relationship. Truth be told he was more of a... closet romanticist.

'_As much as I hate to admit it, the blue idiot has a point,' _he mused.

"I don't know. I don't have anywhere," he finally concluded, his voice a numb deadpan.

"But you do have somewhere. You're just already there."

There was no way he could tell Sonic how complicated everything was; even he couldn't understand it fully, and he'd never been much into the 'let's share our feelings' thing.

'_I'll talk to Rouge about this. I'll gauge just how badly she wants me here, and make an informed decision.' _

"I've got to go, Sonic. I'll talk to you later..." he paused, before adding. "… if there's no avoiding it. Farewell, over."

He hung up before Sonic's could reply, and returned to the solace of his books.

* * *

The hulking crimson robot stomped along through the streets of the city, alone. He came up to a quaint, sky blue house with a picket fence, the sort of safe-looking building you would expect to find an elderly person living in.

He came up to the door and prepared to knock, but realizing that if he did, he would knock it clean of its hinges, he opted for crushing the doorbell with his oversized index finger instead.

After an expectant pause, the door swung open, and none other than the blue blur appeared in the opening, a slight smirk on his face. "So, you go my message?"

"Affirmative. This unit has the data and photographs you requested. Now what about your end of the bargain?" Omega answered mechanically.

"My little bro Tails will install the upgrades for you," Sonic answered gleefully.

Nodding slightly, Omega opened a compartment in his chest, revealing a stack of papers and pictures. The azure hero hungrily snatched them up, thumbing through the pictures the robot had taken with sick amusement.

"Nice. I like the one of them snuggling in bed together," he snickered. "Good work, my friend. I'll email you mission updates every so often."

Omega nodded again, before turning to go. "Operation: Matchmaker is proceeding as planned."

* * *

Shadow had finished reading the books and begun experimenting by the time Rouge got home from work. She came through the door covered in sweat, and wearing a tight black outfit, whose appearance reflected how strenuous her mission must have been that day. The shirt and shorts were torn in places, and there were even small cuts lacing her form.

The outfit left her midriff entirely exposed, and around her waist was a belt that contained various pieces of gear which presumably she needed for her mission, along with a pair of handguns that were holstered at the apex of her thighs.

The ebony hedgehog had to catch himself staring absently and return his attention to the milkshake he had been sipping. _'Well, I'd best get this over. I'll just say it,' _he resolved.

"Rouge, I've been thinking, now that I'm better, it might be best if I go," he said without preamble or emotion, disguising the veritable storm within him.

The voluptuous ivory bat seemed dually surprised and saddened by what he said, and pondered it deeply for a minute, fighting back drops of moisture that seemed determined to show themselves. She had to be strong, she had to show him that she was a strong ally that he could depend on.

"If that's what you really want Shadow, I can't keep you here against your will. You're free to go whenever you like, but you'll always be welcome back," she said with great difficulty. "If you _do _go Shadow, I want you to know that I'll always be by your side, even if the whole world is against you. Remember that."

He turned away from her abruptly to fight back his rising emotion, he needed to appear calm. He was the Ultimate Lifeform, why did he have to feel? Why couldn't he be strong and soulless? What good was a weapon that had feelings?

"I won't leave you," he said. _'Not now, not ever.' _

He was taken aback by his own thought, for it seemed almost involuntary, and yet he was thankful that he hadn't said it out loud. When he spoke, the clear disappointment on Rouge's face melted, and gave way to pure elation. She clasped her arms around him tightly from behind with glee, squeezing just a little too much for comfort... or respiration.

"Ack... Rouge... can't... breathe!"

Releasing him with a sheepish grin, she sat on the couch and began pulling off her boots, which were coated in a layer of dirt from her G.U.N. mission earlier that day. She looked up, wondering why he seemed to be standing as far away as he could from her, as if repulsed.

"Rouge... you should probably take a shower," he remarked sarcastically, indicating her sweat to be the source of his revulsion. She was pleased that at least it wasn't her he'd appeared so repelled by.

"Right you are, Shadow. I'll go and get all clean."

With a sly wink, the huntress slipped away, leaving her vermilion streaked companion standing aimlessly and blushing furiously.

'_Argh! What is this burning of my face?' _

_

* * *

_Somewhere in the midst of the endless, cerulean plateau with no line on the horizon, a bubble broke the surface. The sea was dark and churning; a watery abyss that held unimaginable secrets, and strange sights man would never behold.

Beneath the waves, a whole different world existed than on the surface. Although he'd never know it entirely, man had glimpsed into this world, and the passing of a bright yellow submarine gave silent testimony to this.

Emblazoned on the size was the grinning face of Dr. Robotnik, his own personal and egotistical logo. When the submarine reached a location of seemingly no particular significance, it came to an abrupt halt, as the doctor's mad cackle echoed within.

"Hahaha! That's three Chaos Emeralds already acquired! It's only a matter of time before the others are mine as well!" he said, pausing a moment as if listening to a reply that was inaudible to any but him.

"No, I don't think that pesky blue hedgehog will be a problem. Not after I've completed my newest invention!"

He began pulling levers on the console in front of him, a manic grin on his chubby and wrinkled features. He looked strangely like some kind of demented puppeteer, his hands darting out to swivel up and down, dancing across the board and making the machines move.

Twin arms extended from the sides of the submarine, one of them grasping onto the Chaos Emerald that glimmered eerily on the sea floor, and the other grabbing hold of the Earth. The scientist sung gleefully to himself, in a strangely melodic voice.

His dark grey whiskered quivered as he crooned, and the haunting sound of his voice blended perfectly with the grinding sound of machinery working, as the submarine began to construct and undersea base.

"I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly. I'm crying." At this he made a mock bawling noise, abruptly laughing after he finished.

"Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come. Corporation tee-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday. Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long." He forced his face into an expressive frown, plopping down into his seat and spinning around wildly, while adjusting his perfectly circular glasses.

"I am the eggman, they are the eggmen. I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob."

Now his laughter emanated more forcefully echoing above the sound of the submarines internal mechanics. Finally the submarine finished transforming itself into a complete, disc shaped base which was anchored to the sea floor.

The sole inhabitant stopped with his singing, and finally stopped spinning in his chair, stumbling about in dizziness, while simultaneously giggling and crying, although it was impossible to tell what birthed these emotions.

Grinding gears turned within his head now rather than around him. Abruptly he composed himself, standing tall and imperious as if the outbreak had never occurred at all. Once again he addressed his nonexistent companion.

"Oh no, we don't need to bother going to look for Shadow. We simply commence with the initial testing for the Power Core, and let him come to us. The energy fluxes should attract his attention."

The doctor twisted his mustache, while grinning madly. Then without warning, he departed, allowing the suffocating silence of the deep to reign once more.

* * *

Noticing that Rouge had been gone for quite some time, Shadow looked up from his work with a quizzical expression. _'I wonder where she's gone off to. She said she'd be right back.'_

He stood to his feet, checking the various rooms of the house with caution, as if afraid that behind any corner she lurked, waiting for him to pass by so that she could leap out and catch him in a suffocating hug.

Peering even more carefully than usual into the alluring bat's bedroom, but seeing that she was not inside, he scratched his head in confusion. _'I was sitting in the front room the whole time. If she left, I would've seen her pass through,' _he thought. _'Besides, Rouge wouldn't leave me alone without at least telling me. Somethings wrong.'_

His brow creased in worry, as his keen crimson orbs flicked about in desperation. Thinking quickly, he mentally went over every place he hadn't looked yet. Breathing heavily, he burst into the bathroom conjoined with the bat's bedroom, noting that he didn't hear water running.

Rouge was in the bathroom, submerged within a bubble bath, her sweaty clothing thrown aside. Shadow didn't move from the moment his eyes fell upon her apart from the involuntary twitching of his right eye.

"Hi there," Rouge smirked after her initial surprise, amusement curling her lips at Shadow's reaction.

He could not speak, could not move, he was petrified in the mortification and simultaneous interest... fantasy... even hunger.

"Care to join me?" she teased sarcastically. Her voice seemed to jolt Shadow back to his senses, and he averted his eyes, his cheeks burning fiercely.

"Uh... I was just um, wondering where you were naked- I mean at!" he bit his cheek and turned even further away, but no matter what angle his head was pointed away, his eyes betrayed him.

_'He's like a lost puppy, how cute,' _she smirked, while lazily stirring the froth with the tip of her finger.

"I'll be out in a minute," she winked, before adding. "Oh, and Shadow?"

He had turned away as quickly as the first half of her response was spoken, and flinched subconsciously as she continued. "...Yes?"

"You might try knocking next time," she laughed. "...Or don't."

He hurriedly left, shutting the door behind him with unnecessary force. Coming out into Rouge's bedroom, he began to pace over the same six or so feet of floor, his cheeks still a light pink. His thoughts were erratic, one part irritation at his own reaction, one part awakened desire.

Hearing her stepping out of the tub, he quickly vacated the room, knowing that if he did not, he'd have to withstand the sight of her wrapped in a towel a second time.

Rouge stepped out to find her dark companion sitting pensively on the couch, his hands folded over his knees. She smiled at him as his eyes flicked to her, and then straight ahead, staring off into space.

"You look bored, Shadow," she commented, plopping down about as close to him as she could get without sitting on top of him.

He could not help but think that there was no possible way he could be bored with her around, for he had enough on his mind to occupy him for an eternity.

"We should do something fun together!" she exclaimed in excitement, evoking an ever so slight shudder from the dark one next to her as his thoughts took an inadvertently more perverse turn at her suggestion.

"Somehow I doubt that our definitions of fun align," he stated dually, the irony thick in his voice. She ignored his sarcasm, latched onto his hand, and pulled him blushing behind her out the door.

'_Is there nothing I can do to resist?' _

The two returned, with Rouge laughing hysterically to the point where drops of moisture brimmed on the edge of her vision. Shadow's arms were folded over his chest, and his head was turned away from her with a sulking expression.

"It's not that funny!" he growled, but this only served to increase her amusement.

"Ooh... and then... he mistook you for Sonic, ah ha, and you hahaha you threw him into a dumpster," she could hardly speak, and the muscles of her stomach hurt from laughing so much.

"I'm glad that you find the fact that I'll always be overshadowed by that moron amusing!"

"No... I don't find it amusing... I find it hilarious," she hugged him from the side, making him squirm slightly, as upon her touch burning hot coals crawled over his form.

"I'm... uh, going to go and... work on my milkshake," he finally said, actually using Chaos Control to escape her grasp and occupying himself with his experiments.

Rouge came and sat on the bar stool in front of where he worked, staring up dreamily at him with deep, aquamarine eyes. He tried to ignore her, but every couple moments, he found himself glancing back to her, his heartbeat now pulsing so loud he thought it was impossible that she couldn't hear it, especially with her enhanced hearing.

Unconsciously adding enough to the blended mix for two, he asked Rouge if she'd like to try what he'd been working on. She was a bit skeptical... after all, he was a trained fighter, not a cook... but eager to do anything to make him happy, she accepted.

He passed her a glass and she stared at it a moment in hesitation, before taking a sip. Her eyes widened dramatically, as Shadow wondered if he'd done something horribly wrong. She looked down at her cup, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"Shadow..."

"Yes?" he couldn't help but gulp slightly, as he imagined her disapproval.

"This... is the best milkshake I've ever had!" she burst forth, allowing relief and surprise to roll over him. "Even better than the ones they make at the parlor down the street! How did you do it?"

"Ah ah, that's my little secret," it was his turn now to wink as he poured his own, and sat down to enjoy it.

Once again the phone rang, and the ivory bat walked over to inspect the caller ID.

"Hi Sonic, how are you?" she said as she picked up the receiver. Shadow froze, and slowly turned to stare at her with pleading eyes, as if silently begging her to hang up.

"I'm fast to the max as usual! What about... Uh, Rouge?" he stopped abruptly.

"Hm?" Shadow of course could only hear her half of the conversation, and assumed that nothing good could be being said.

"What's that... slurping... noise?" he said slowly, as if afraid of what the answer would be.

"Oh, I'm having a milkshake. I love Shadow's banana milkshake."

Silence on the other line.

"Uh, Sonic?"

"...I don't want to think too hard about what that means..."

She giggled, and this unnerved her ebony companion, especially because she looked right at him as she did so. "Whatever, Sonic. You've got such a dirty mind."

"Well, I've got to go anyways. Have fun with him, but not too much fun, Rougey," you could almost hear Sonic's wink.

"I'll try to restrain myself," she responded coyly, as the blue blur hung up, apparently satisfied with the information he'd gotten from the conversation, and she finished her milkshake.

Author's Note: Wow, there was actually MORE stuff I wanted to cram in here, but it just got to the point where if I made it any longer, it wouldn't qualify as a chapter any more. :P


	9. Shadow Gets a Job

**Chapter 9: Shadow Gets a Job**

Tick tock went the clock, all the day long. The minute passed, the long hand turned, and began its cycle again.

It was a new day, and once again Rouge had gone to work, leaving him alone in her apartment with hours to burn. He hardly knew what to do with himself when she was not around; she was effectively his definition of occupation, and while she was gone he found himself painfully bored.

His former hobby of experimentation on his prototype milkshakes had lost its lure, as he'd effectively discovered the long lost secret to creating the Ultimate Milkshake. Now that the process of discovery was complete, it could occupy him for mere moments, not hours.

The clock continued to tick in its maddening, never ending rhythm, as he wracked his brain for something, anything to do to pass the time without Rouge. To his dismay, still nothing came to mind, and soon enough, he found himself sitting on the couch, twiddling his thumbs and counting down the seconds until she returned.

'_17,000… 16,999… 16,998…' _he groaned inwardly and wondered idly where Omega had gone. The robot had been suspiciously absent recently, and Shadow couldn't help but wonder where he went off to during the day when he was all alone.

_'I guess I could call that blue moron,' _he considered, as he began to reach for the phone. Suddenly he jerked his hand back as if he'd seen a ghost, a look of horror and disgust on his face.

"I can't believe I actually just considered that! Seriously, what's wrong with me?" he growled at himself angrily. "I need to get a life!"

Sulking, he crossed his arms and glared at the door, seemingly believing that perhaps if he squeezed his fists tightly enough and wanted her back desperately enough; the force of his sheer willpower would carry her through the door. The technique proved ineffective, so after a few minutes of attempting it and being no more than a few, agonizing minutes closer to what he wanted, he became frantic in his search for something to do.

Rationalizing that he could cut out at least a few minutes and spend them in less torment than he'd thus far passed them, and that some fresh air might do his bewitched and addled mind some good, he decided to take a walk.

Donning his trademark air-shoes, he stepped outside to be met with the gaudy colors and irritating, flashing lights of Night Babylon, the casino district of the city. Even in the daytime when the neon lights were not lit, the myriad colors came off as intensely nauseous to the brusque obsidian hedgehog.

'_Why on Earth, heaven or hell below would anyone choose willingly to live in a place like this?' _he wondered as he walked along, an inadvertent scowl upon his face. Then again, where would his ideal home be?

He pondered this momentarily, and the only decisive clues that came to his mind were that he wished to be somewhere near Rouge, and far, far, far away from just about everybody else.

This amused him, and the faintest hint of a smile betrayed itself at the corner of his lips. It seemed the more time he spent with Rouge, the more some inexplicable emotion seemed to grow on him, one he was conscious of, but at a loss to explain.

Shadow had a very analytical, computer-like frame of thought, and while this made him simultaneously vastly intelligent and naïve, it also made him a natural at understanding things. But never in all his life had he encountered something so difficult to grasp. It seemed as if everything else had become simpler with time, but this one thing was different. The more he knew, it seemed the less he knew, the more he learned, the less he understood.

'_How can I fail to comprehend what occurs within my own mind?' _he chastised himself inwardly. _'This is something… something…' _

Growling at himself in frustration at his lack of ability to even begin to properly define what he felt, he threw his fists into the air.

"What is this?" he yelled, attracting the curiosity of some pedestrians. Having thus singled himself out, several of them recognized him, and he was immediately approached by the prodding fans.

"Hey, you're Shadow the Hedgehog!"

'_Thank you, Captain Obvious,' _he rolled his eyes, but kept his sarcasm contained for now.

"Say, you yelled something a minute ago. Do you need some help, are you in some kind of trouble?" ironically the question stemmed from an elderly gentleman, typically the type who would require the help.

Shadow stared at the eager, imploring faces of the small crowd he'd managed to attract. Even if he'd been into the whole "sharing of emotions" thing, and even if he hadn't been appalled by the crowd in the first place, how could he share his troubles with them if he himself could neither explain nor identify them?

His head hung slightly, and the obsidian hedgehog massaged his temples. Looking around, he realized he'd allowed himself to become lost in thought, and had wandered aimlessly about through the city without a hope of finding his way back without help. Although frustrated that he would have to reveal his (potentially embarrassing) place of residence to them, he was gracious they'd offered to help him in the first place, as now it appeared he'd need it. With a slight crimson tinge inflaming his cheeks, he asked for directions to Club Rouge.

"Well, you can't be going to do any gambling, the casino has been closed for an age. So I suppose you must be a friend of the lady who owns the place," one fellow who seemed to know too much for his own good commented.

"I don't answer questions phrased as statements," the dark hero responded threateningly.

"Ah, a bit defensive, are we? Perhaps a tad more than friends, then? Makes sense; you seem like the type."

Mentally he fought with all his strength to resist the bait, but his curiosity overwhelmed him, and he found himself speaking involuntarily.

"Oh? And what 'type' might that be?" he asked as nonchalantly as possible.

With a laugh came the mocking reply, "The naïve, sweet type. She'll gobble you up, but as soon as she tires of you, she'll spit you out just like a chewed up piece of gum that's lost its flavor. Then you won't be so naïve."

There was absolute silence; even the birds in the trees seemed to stop in their songs, as if aware of Shadow's pure, unbridled fury. Turning to face the taunting fox with piercing crimson eyes that seemed to burn with the very fires of Hell, he inhaled deeply to calm himself before replying simply.

"Get out of my sight."

"Or what? You're a goody-two-shoes now. Do you think anyone actually believe you'll hurt me?"

There was a slight pause, as the distinctive crackle of a Chaos Spear forming within Shadow's palm filled the air, and a golden illumination was cast its dancing shadows over the scene. "You have to the count of ten to haul your carcass away from here, or I swear by God I will splatter you all over this pavement."

The taunting fox remained smug, crossing his arms with a look of victory in his eye.s

"One… two… three…"

His smirk faded, but still the foolish vulpine refused to move. "C'mon now, you wouldn't actually-"

"Four… five… six…"

By now he had broken a nervous sweat, as Shadow stalked slowly towards him, the shimmering orb of light cradled in his fist and level with the target's heart.

Finally convinced, the fox turned to run, his eyes holding expressions of sheer terror.

"Seven… eight… nine…"

Tripping as he fled, the fox pulled himself up with enough vigor that his speed seemed to rival that of the black blur himself.

Allowing the energy of the attack to disperse back into his body as the fox disappeared, he turned to the other bystanders with a shrug.

"Would you have done it?" one of them asked doubtfully.

He turned in the direction of the club without replying, a slight smirk on his face. _'Looks like you can still pull off a convincing bluff. But if I'd have told them I was bluffing, I wouldn't be able to in the future.'_

"After all, I've got a reputation to uphold," he chuckled darkly as he walked down the street.

* * *

But try as he might, he could not force thoughts of what the fox had said from his mind.

Ringing distinctly through the front room, the dull creak of the front door was Shadow's cue that she was back. He'd been flitting about, in and out of a sea of dreamless half-sleep, and as the door opened, his eyelids slowly raised and he awakened.

With her usual, syrupy smile the huntress approached the still groggy hero, sliding down beside him on the couch. After a day of hard work, his presence seemed to her to be like an invigorating breath of fresh air. However, seeming to note how anxious he was, she cocked her head to the side and stared at him appealingly.

"Shadow, what do you do all day while I'm gone?" she half-asked, half-realized.

"Nothing much. Today I went for a walk, but that turned out worse than just saying home and doing nothing," he admitted.

She seemed to be aghast that she had not thought on his behalf of how he would occupy himself. Scolding herself inwardly for this oversight, a thought occurred to her.

"You could get a job," she suggested. "It would give you something to do when I'm not home."

His left eyebrow quirked upward as his forehead creased into an unsure frown.

"C'mon, I'll help you."

Awhile later, the dumbfounded hedgehog sat, staring blankly at a computer screen. His index finger slowly moved towards a key, hesitating as it hung over it, like a looming cloud in the sky.

'_Former employment?' _he pondered. _'I suppose I worked for the doctor in our plot to conquer Earth… but I should probably… not mention that.' _

He would have to skip that part of his resume. He'd skipped several parts already.

"Special talents or interest?" he balked. "This should be no problem."

'_Can use the power of Chaos to distort the time-space continuum,' _he typed after one bullet point.

'_Extensive martial arts training,' _was his next line.

Rouge came into the room behind him, dressed comfortably in a pair of jeans and a pink t-shirt with a heart design on the front. She began reading his work over his shoulder, giggling as she did.

"What exactly do you find so amusing?" he demanded without facing her.

Rouge smiled at how clueless he was, and pushing the laptop onto the next cushion, she slid down into his lap, igniting the familiar, burning sensation in the pit of his stomach. She draped one arm loosely over his shoulders, as she pulled the laptop over and reread it more thoroughly.

"Silly Shadow, you'll never get a job with a resume like this," she cooed, noting with sweet satisfaction the scarlet tinge on the ultimate lifeform's cheeks.

"Well," he began with a somewhat shaky voice, "What do you suggest?"

"You could try working with me at GUN?" she said unsurely, thoroughly surprising him enough that for a moment, he forgot that she was draped across him.

This realization returned to him at precisely the same instant as the implications of such employment. _'Working for GUN? I know what they're capable of,' _he couldn't help but see a brief image of Maria's violent demise flashing before his eyes.

'_But then again, I'd get to do what I do best… and what I do best isn't pretty. Besides, maybe I'd get to see Rouge during the day.' _

He glanced down at her to see her expression a pleading one, one he thought to be an irresistibly cute one at that. _'Ugh, why does she look at me like that!' _

Unable to summon words while her soft form was pressed warmly into his own, he nodded grimly, as if assenting to being the volunteer for a 'slicing in half' magic trick.

"C'mon Shadow, smile," she pleaded, as she caressed his burning cheeks. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he found himself unable to refuse any request she made.

So he consciously attempted it. Forcing the muscles of his lips into action after so long a period of inactivity felt like a superhuman effort to Shadow. In the end, what he produced was a boyish, lopsided smirk that was nothing remotely expressive or over the top. But Rouge could tell that was his smile, and the moment she saw the silly, crooked grin, her heart melted.

Grabbing Shadow's hand, she pulled him up and out the door to get him his job.

* * *

The two of them sat across the table from the Commander, whose imperious visage surveyed the obsidian hero with a hawkish gaze. Rouge had brought Shadow to the fortress to see about getting him commissioned as a federal agent. He couldn't help but think that he'd never been a big fan of the organization, or government as a whole for that matter.

But the more they discussed it, the more it seemed to make sense to him. GUN had changed since the Ark tragedy, even since the Black Arms invasion. Besides, hadn't he decided to move past all that? Wasn't his purpose in life now to help people?

The Commander assured him that after his heroics in saving the Earth from Black Doom, that he would receive the same respect and treatment as any other agent – more in fact.

"Through a freak coincidence…" he coughed deliberately, "that had nothing whatsoever to do with me…"

Rouge glared at him, making him cut to the point.

"It seems you'll be paired with Ms. Rouge here. From what I'm told, you two have former experience together, and work well as a team."

Shadow was just about to voice his curiosity by asking what sort of odd circumstances had led to this 'freak coincidence,' but a sideways glance from Rouge made him reconsider.

"I hope these arrangements prove… accommodating," he smirked slightly, seeming to sense the chemistry between the two. "Agent Shadow, please proceed to orientation and briefing. I need to have a word with Ms. Rouge."

From the sad little look in his eyes, you could easily tell that he hardly seemed elated at the prospect of departing from the presence of the ivory huntress, but he urged him on. After he left, the Commander released a lungful of air, as if he'd been holding his breath the entire time. He tapped his finger rhythmically on the desk, as he considered what to say.

"This is highly irregular you know. Usually we don't condone partner changes for such outlandish reasons. If it weren't for the fact that you two have worked together in the past, I'd have no legitimate excuse. Then what would I put on my paperwork? 'They're a cute couple?' It would be my head."

"Well it won't be. Me and Shadow work well together," she remained profession in the face of his unspoken accusation, as if she weren't aware of it.

"Oh, come on Rouge! I may be old, but I'm not stupid. Anybody could see that you could care less what sort of team you two make in the field. It's merely a convenient cover story."

Still she feigned ignorance. "For what, exactly?"

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the sparks. We could hardly get him to pry himself from your side! The poor boy is as smitten as any I've ever seen."

Rouge secretly reveled in the fact that he had acknowledged Shadow's affection for her. "Alright, so what?"

"Well, that's why I did this favor for you, Rouge. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal. But if whatever is going on between you two jeopardizes the mission, it is my solemn duty to separate you."

With a pout, she replied, "Don't worry, we'll play nice."

After the alluring bat had left the office, the Commander turned to stare blankly out the window, his eyes covered in a veil of darkness.

"Good luck, Ms. Rouge. God only knows the beast you intend to tame."

* * *

Shadow had just finished with his orientation, and was now aimlessly wandering the facility to familiarize himself with the layout. He'd received all the basic, standard issue gear that field agents used, and had been turned loose on the world with instructions to come back tomorrow for his first assignment.

So here he was, peeking into doorways, and encountering an almost disturbing, yet entirely understandable fact: everyone seemed to know who he was… or what he was.

Stepping into an open doorway, he came to find a large screen hanging from a mount on the wall. A lightly colored box was connected to it by several cables, and a green menu of some sort flickered on the screen. His curiosity thus aroused, he slid down into the leather seat, picking up a strangely shaped piece of plastic that seemed to control the image. Growing comfortable with the device, he navigated to an image of a soldier grasping a weapon.

"Modern… Warfare? Must be some kind of… combat simulator," he commented, as he launched the game.

* * *

Some time later…

* * *

Rouge came into the room to find Shadow absorbed in his video game. But to her surprise, as she came in, he seemed not to even notice her presence, which was very out of the ordinary. She stared at him for some time, wondering exactly when he would acknowledge her presence.

But no matter how much eyelash batting she employed, she could not wake him from his trance.

Scowling at having to compete with an electronic device for his attention, she noted with satisfaction that the manufacturers had been kind enough to provide her with a means to fight back. Stealthily she crept on her belly to the front of the system, tracing her fingertip tauntingly along the rim of the power button. Still he took no notice, so she pushed it with a sigh.

"But I was almost finished with that combat simulator!" came his instant protest.

"That was a video game. C'mon Shadow, the Commander wants to see you," she rolled her eyes as she pulled the dazed male to his feet.

"Must… kill… more… terrorists…"

After Shadow had been given time to recover from severe video game withdrawal (which included promising he'd get to kill as many terrorists as he wanted in real life) he was left alone with the Commander, who was in a strangely solemn mood.

"You must know, if you work with us, you'll be asked to make some hard decisions. You may have to do things that are in the category of 'morally grey,' even by your standards."

"I'm comfortable with morally grey," he replied confidently.

"That's easy to say, but in order for it to work, we have to trust each other," the Commander opened his desk, retrieving an ancient looking folder that read in bold, black letters on the front PROJECT SHADOW.

"This has been deep in our Top Secret archives for so long, most of it had passed into the stuff of myth. Some believed it… you… didn't even exist. But the project was closed a long, long time ago, and you're all that's left. I feel the need for absolute honesty; this is, in a sense, your file."

"I don't really care what's in that file. Nothing in there can possibly change who I am now; I've moved past all that," he replied level-headedly, as he pushed the dusty folder back across the desk.

"Then, what do you want us to do with it?"

There was a pause as the Ultimate Lifeform stopped at the threshold of the Commander's office, pondering his decision one final time.

"Bury it, burn it, file it away somewhere and throw away the key. Some truths… are too terrible to be told."

With these final, haunting words ringing through the air like the tolling of a great iron bell, he left, and never turned back.

* * *

Muffled voices floated through the air like brightly colored balloons at a carnival. The atmosphere was peaceful, almost idyllic; one of those lazy, sunny days that give the distinct impression that nothing remotely important could be happening anywhere in the world.

Perfectly trimmed emerald grass swayed slightly in the gentle breeze, which pushed about descending leaves like whirling crimson gliders. A hulking, blood red robot stood at the base of a colossal tree, staring up blankly into the doorway of a juvenile tree house. The structure was easily discernable from its comically bright colors, and looks as if it had been painted in some sort of cruel joke by vengeful clowns.

"C'mon Omega, we can't scheme unless you're up here with me in the scheming tree house!" called the voice of the azure youth that hung upside down in the doorway.

"Negative. Scanners indicate that structural integrity of 'scheming tree house' is insufficient to support this unit's mass."

"You don't think it will hold your weight? Sure it will! How much do you weigh?"

Omega fidgeted a bit, before slowly responding. "Can't we just formulate our strategies at another location?"

'_He's sensitive about his weight?' _Sonic thought in disbelief. "You sound like such a woman!" he sighed, as he climbed down from the tree house. "Alright, but our top secret base needs to be radically cool."

"I think I may know just the location you seek."

* * *

Quite some time, and a few muffled screams later…

* * *

Sonic stood shivering in the midst of the plane of ice, surrounded by packaged and frozen foods of various shapes and sizes. "Omega… a restaurant freezer room isn't… quite what I had in mind when I said cool," he chattered.

"Oh. Can we still formulate battle strategy?"

"It's not battle whatever you said, we're not killing anything, remember?"

Omega looked disturbingly disappointed at the prospect of a non-violent mission, but nodded assent nonetheless.

"Alrighty then. Since we've come to that understanding, let's get down to business. We're almost ready to commence with the second phase of Operation Matchmaker."

"Affirmative. Please provide this unit with instructions and recommendations for Phase 2," he droned, seemingly to be hiding some latent enthusiasm.

"Alright, what we're going to do now is try to encourage Shadow to ask her out. You can help to arrange this in any way you… deem most logical," he finished, knowing Omega would understand that better. "If he's particularly hesitant, send him to me, and I'll give him a pep talk."

"Affirmative."

"Now… Omega, can we go? My toes feel like they're going to fall off."


	10. Shadow's First Mission

**Chapter 10- Shadow's First Mission**

Hollow steel passages stretched cold and blank to the horizon in both directions, making Shadow feel as if he'd somehow been sealed on the inside of a tin can. When they struck the floor, his shoes made a dull clanking noise that rang out lonely and resonating in the corridor.

Turning to the left, he was met with a high security door. Standing comically on his tiptoes to peer into the iris scanner to the right of the door, he muttered under his breath as it ran over his ruby orbs. "User data matched. Proceed inside, Agent Shadow," the machine chirped in a synthetic, female voice.

"I swear I'm going to make GUN replace all of those with ones lower to the ground or something," he growled. "When did I lose the entirety of my dignity?"

_'When you were laying senseless in Rouge's fluffy, pink, heart-adorned bed,'_ his voice responded dryly from within his skull. A slight smirk curved the corner of his lips for a split-second, before disappearing as quickly as it came.

With a hiss the metallic door slid open, granting him entry into GUN's war room. Within the expansive chamber, many soldiers and agents were bustling about, orders were being shouted, and gear was being handed out in a mad, chaotic rush. The Commander stood tall and imposing in the eye of the storm, shouting orders as the living hurricane swirled around him. His attempts to conquer the anarchy present failed, like all human attempts to eliminate disorder.

But Shadow alone knew the secret. He knew that chaos could not be conquered, it could only be controlled, harnessed for your own advantage. He was the master of controlling it, of creating an order from within the disorder rather than from without.

Without hesitating, he became one with the torrent, moving about within it, but independently of it. Darting between confused, bustling soldiers, he quickly gathered his gear, turned in his summons, and reported to the Commander for briefing. Almost as if he'd anticipated this frenzied rush, the grey old man handed the obsidian hero a single sheet of paper, before returning to his shouting.

Shadow's mind acted as a filter, gradually sifting through the sounds until the clamor of the chaos surrounding him wasn't even audible. Time seemed to crawl, as he gave his complete concentration to the sheet he'd been presented with.

_'ORDERS: Report to docking bay for transfer to Forward Operating Base outside Westopolis at 1330._

GENERAL OBJECTIVES: To restore order to the city and commence restoration and reconstruction projects. More information will be provided at FOB.

RELEVANT INFORMATION: Westopolis was hit hardest during the Black Arms initial invasion, due to its inadequate defenses, and orbital bombardments left much of the city in ruins. The city was evacuated, but as a result of the confusion, looting became rampant. As GUN lost control of the city, this power vacuum was filled by organized crime syndicates, which perpetuated a system of violence, and hampered any efforts at the reconstruction of the city. In order to rebuild Westopolis and restore order, these gangs must be eliminated.'

The Ultimate Lifeform huffed as he made his way to the docking bay. He'd dealt with these gangsters already, alone, and he knew that they were not to be trifled with. However, the idea of returning to the city and getting some payback for his wounded pride was a pleasant one for him, and he was looking forward to this as his first opportunity to "shoot more terrorists."

Stepping into the docking bay, he stared upward at the high-vaulted ceiling that loomed above like a gray expanse of sky. Men in bright orange jumpsuits skittered about in a way reminiscent of worker ants, loading and unloading gear and tugging on long, snake-like tubes that were used to refuel.

A fleet of helicopters were roosting in the chamber, their noses pointed toward a gaping opening in the wall. He slung his bag of supplies and gear loosely over his shoulder, and climbed inside the nearest chopper.

An aroma met his nose of gasoline mixed with heated metal. He slid down into one of the mesh seats in the helicopter and fished through the duffel bag that held his gear. Pulling out a small, rectangular comm. unit, he strapped it to his wrist for easy use. Sitting back and sighing, he closed his eyes and waited for take off.

* * *

A blast of fresh, chilled air rushed inside of the massive steel bird as the side door lurched open with a screech. He stepped out to find himself standing at the familiar scene of a grassy hilltop crowned by a withered oak. Turbulence created by the spinning rotors tore the last few darkly colored leaves hanging to the tree's gnarled branches off, and sent them whirling wildly about through the air like blood red confetti.

Upon what had formerly more or less been 'his' hilltop, GUN had set up a small Forward Operating Base with a few jungle green tents around which several dozen soldiers and field agents bustled onto the next thing they had to do, and then the next.

Shadow quickly ducked inside the dank interior of the largest tent, where the field commander coordinated the individual missions of squads of troops and field agents to achieve the general objectives on his print-out. The field commander sat hunched in a fold-out seat, surrounded by innumerable papers and cigarette butts.

"Ah, Agent Shadow, you've arrived," he coughed, wiping a bit of spittle from his lips with the back of his hand. "Yes, I've heard all about your... experience. This mission should be something right up your alley."

"What've you got for me, sir?"

"Heh. You're aware of the United Federation's policy on assassinations, I assume."

Shadow scoffed. "I know what they tell the public."

"Then you know this mission you're about to receive is strictly confidential. It didn't ever happen. Understood?"

The Ultimate Lifeform nodded grimly and accepted a cream-colored folder stamped TOP SECRET. He opened it slowly, finding it to be a file on an individual named James Cordet.  
"So who is this guy?"

The officer lit a cigarette before answering. "Leader of the main gang here in Westopolis. They're into everything: drugs, extortion, theft, murder... maybe even human trafficking."

"How do I find him?" Shadow's fist clenched unconsciously as he anticipated justice. "See, that's the catch. He lays real low. We've got no leads. So you need to do some investigating on your own. Once you've found this sucker, you do whatever you need to do."

"Sounds simple enough," the obsidian hedgehog replied, his responses characteristically clipped.

"Sure it does. They always do. But you're gonna' have to do more than find Cordet, you're gonna' have to wade through his entire army of thugs to get to him, without back-up. I'm placing his whole Goddamn mess - everything that's left of the city under martial law. I can't spare the men for a lengthy campaign, so you're going in to drop this bastard alone."

Shadow simply nodded in response to this speech, and turned to go. He didn't know where he would find Cordet, but he did know exactly who he would ask.

Nonchalantly he walked into the city, seemingly ignoring devastation that had only increased tenfold since he was there last. Finding a ruined phone booth with shattered glass, he reached inside and tore out the phone book. The pages were stained and torn, but more the most part readable. Thumbing through them, he finally seemed to come upon what he'd been searching for.

Punching in the number on his wrist comm. unit, he waited as the phone rung on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Kaigar, I need your help."

"Who is this?" he responded in disbelief, his voice hushed.

"I'm the one who brought you out of a life of violence and crime. Now it's your turn to pay me back."

"What do you need?"

"I'm in Westopolis with GUN. I've been assigned to track down the leader of the gang that rivaled yours, James Cordet, known to friends as Big Jimmy," Shadow replied, his tone silently insisting that he would not be disappointed.

"Look man, I left that life behind me. I don't want to get caught up in-"

"You owe me this favor. Besides, you don't need to fear vengeance from a dead man."

Isaac paused, conflict between gratitude and fear brewing within him. "Alright, but you didn't hear this from me. Cordet and his men have their hideout in the abandoned subways under the commercial district. That area was the least damaged in the bombardments."

"What should I expect?"

A lengthy sigh rang out over the the other end, almost like the question has been anticipated, but not at all looked forward to. "Cordet is fond of taking prisoners, making them into slaves. If you don't act swiftly, it may soon become a hostage situation. Be careful."

"Nothing I can't handle." Leaving no time for reply, he hung up and began slowly plodding towards Cordet's hideout.

Weary streets seemed to heave and flex as the dark one walked through them, and at every turn the pavement cracked and buckled. Descending steps that led below the ground, he pulled away chain-link fence to enter the abandoned metro. Oil-drums housed glaring crimson lights periodically, forming islands of light in a sea of undulating darkness.

The gloomy, deserted atmosphere of the underground tunnel seemed to amplify the smallest of sounds, making the small click of his footsteps sound like rolls of thunder. Not unnerved, but certainly alert, he crept warily forward, expecting that behind each corner lurked a nefarious mobster.

Bodies of hapless transients who had wandered into the subway lay scattered unceremoniously on the ground like pieces of litter.

At last, he came upon a station where several drums were clustered together in a constellation of light. Huddled around them were various rough and criminal individuals, all seeming to eye each other and their surroundings in great suspicion. They had not yet seen him, as his coloring served as a rather effective camouflage there in the bowels of the Earth.

Taking a moment to study the fortified encampment, he spied a large, cage-like structure that housed a multitude of miserable captives. All of them seemed unified in hopeless despair, and stared despondently into the blankness around them.

To the left of the prison, a ramshackle barracks stood, indignant and proud in its dilapidation. The sunken eaves of its sharply slanting roof seemed to exist for no reason besides the pretense of shelter, as the concrete ceiling above admitted no outside weather.

Surmising that this sad structure was likely Cordet's headquarters, he gripped the smooth, shining surface of the Chaos Emerald, and drew its power into himself. A wave of energy blazed over his body, as within the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Suddenly, with a flash of light and heat, he was within the pitiful shack. Whirling around was the figure of a massive and disfigured man he presumed to be Cordet. It was easy to see why he was called 'Big Jimmy.' With every movement he made, he seemed to inflate like a balloon, until Shadow half expected him to grow to be the size of the building and finally burst.

Reacting to Shadow's appearance, Cordet whipped an appropriately large pistol out of its holster, centering it on his assailant's forehead.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" he demanded in a voice as big as his body. "How did you get in here?"

"So many questions assail your mind. How does it feel, the loss of control?" Shadow breathed rhetorically, stalking slowly forward as if the pistol didn't even exist.

"You take one more step, I'll kill you," he still seemed confident. How foolish.

Faster than a flash, Shadow reached out with a grip like an iron vice, twisting Cordet's wrist the wrong way and earning a sickening snapping sound. The gun slipped idly from his fingertips like it had been buttered, as a muffled sound attempted to escape his lips. Shadow now held his hand over the gangster's mouth; Cordet was on his knees and trembling.

"GUN has sent me to take care of you James - may I call you James?" he paused, but knowing full well that Cordet couldn't speak, he continued shortly. "But, unfortunately for you, being nice or quick isn't in my job description."

Cordet's eyes seemed to be trying to match the rest of his body in size, as they inflated as well. At last he understood for what murderous purpose the agent had come, and made a vain attempt to struggle against him.

Grunting as he heaved the mountain of flesh into the air, Shadow hurled him like an oversized baseball, crashing through the wall of the shack with a loud bang and a shower of splinters. Other gang members seemed to shake themselves awake as if they had been asleep when they head the sound, and stared in a mixture of awe and horror at the groaning mound of a man.

Shadow walked slowly through the great tear in the shack, stepping on Cordet's heaving chest as he cupped his dirty chin and looked into his eyes.

"Your eyes betray you, James. I know you already," Shadow began in a condescending tone. "You think that your size makes you somehow more important, as if your gravity outclasses even the Sun; everything revolves around you."

Cordet glanced into the eyes of his lackeys to appeal for help. But they were so paralyzed by fear of the obsidian assassin that they simply watched as he was brutally taunted.

"And your men have no loyalty to you. They know that one mistake will put them in that pen; that people are nothing but cattle to you."

A swift punch to the side of the head slammed his temple into the pavement, making his head ring. Cordet was whimpering now, like a dog being beaten. Bloodied and bruised, the mobster seemed to rapidly deflate as Shadow wrapped his hands around his head. "Please, have mercy!"

"I will. But not on you."

With these final words, he gave a sudden twist. Cordet's bulk went limp, as his eyes became filmed by the glazed over look of death. Dusting off his hands as if they'd somehow been dirtied, Shadow turned his attention towards the remaining, pathetically cowering criminals.

"Let this serve as an example to all of you. GUN will not tolerate anarchy and lawlessness. Continue in your crimes, and share his fate."

At receiving this warning, they all seemed unsure of what to do next.

"Go!" he bellowed ferociously, sending them all scampering off like frightened rabbits. Waiting until every last one had scrambled pathetically from his presence, he finally turned to the cage. Its gate was locked with a simple padlock, the key for which was buried in the dead Cordet's pocket.

As the gate swung open with a creak, Shadow saw that most of the prisoners looked stunned, but one in particular was elated. A small, gray-furred cat boy rushed at Shadow and clung happily to his leg. Although his first instinct was to kick him off, he quickly felt guilty and softened himself, instead simply prying the child gently off.

"You're my hero, mister!" he beamed, his youthful face painted with admiration and enthusiasm.

"What's your name, kid?"

"I'm Slate!" he declared proudly, as if it were the best possible name anyone could hope to have. "You're a GUN agent, aren't you?"

Further softened by the boy's cheerful and thankful demeanor, and not entirely opposed to having his ego stoked, Shadow decided to humor the boy. "Agent Shadow. I'm here as part of a task force that is working to restore peace to the city," he answered. "Wow... so you fight bad guys and save people, like a super-hero."

"I guess you could say that," he couldn't suppress a chuckle at being called a super-hero.

"When I grow up, I want to be an agent, just like you," Slate said dreamily, as if envisioning the future.

"Don't you have a dad to idolize, kid?" While less cutting than perhaps his normal sarcasm would be, Shadow's tone was sharp.

Slate's face fell suddenly. "My dad worked for Dr. Eggman, but one day these bad guy's showed up and..."

It was not difficult to guess at what had happened. Envious of the technological information Slate's father had access to, Cordet's men had tried to take it. When dad refused, they killed him and enslaved his poor son.

Seeing an opportunity to gather some valuable intelligence on the doctor, Shadow took the opening. 

* * *

Soon afterwards, he'd had Slate direct him to his home, so that he could gather what useful information there was to be had. He then returned to the Forward Operating Base with the intel and the boy. The field commander was a bit surprised to see Slate, and looked at him inquisitively.

"This boy has provided invaluable information that led to the recovery of intelligence concerning Dr. Eggman," he pompously began, for the boy's benefit. "I would like to officially request that he be immediately accepted as a Junior GUN Cadet, sir."

He smiled and nodded. "Report to the quarterdeck to receive your equipment, Cadet!" At this, Slate gleefully bustled off, his head racing with excitement. Shadow turned more gravely to his superior. "The fat man is dead."

"Good. Your mission here is complete, and I must say, very swiftly done. Cordet's death will do more for establishing order here than any other single act."

"You should know, Slate's father was killed by Cordet's men. I found him down there when I was making the assassination."

The officer seemed troubled by this. "What are you suggesting?" "Sure I wanted to impress the kid with all that 'Junior Cadet' crap, but he does want to be an agent someday. Maybe GUN should take him into custody, train him, take him seriously."

A puff on the cigarette. "It's highly irregular, but under the circumstances, I suppose it's the only course of action. As for you, you're needed back home. They have some urgent paper-pushing that needs done. Prep for immediate transport."

With a cocky, mock salute, the Ultimate Lifeform sauntered towards the same helicopter he'd come in, staring out at the ruined city. Countless other missions of construction and restoration, police work and subterfuge were being carried out within its walls.

The blades began to spin. As he was lifted into the air, the last thing he saw before being spirited away was the small, gray Slate staring up at him as if he were looking at a god, a tin foil badge pinned proudly on his chest like those that firemen give to children when they visit Elementary Schools. The boy waved at Shadow, and the Ultimate Lifeform couldn't help but smiling and waving back, as he wished the boy the best possible future he could have.

He did not see Slate again for many years.


	11. Shadow Gets Dating Advice

Author's Notes: I have a couple of side projects going on/brewing, but I think for the moment I'd like to refocus a bit of my energy on my two primary goals, which are Ebony and Ivory and Crimson Twilight (the latter of which is at the moment, an FFN exclusive.) I feel that the exploration I've been undertaking into recent smaller endeavors has been good, but that at the same time, I need to finish some of my initial ideas before I get too incredibly distracted. I hope to update EaI sequentially for some time now.

So I have been dropping off teasers for an upcoming AU called "Kingdom of Dawn" which will feature Shadow as a medieval style soldier (not a knight) in a fantasy style environment. For those of you who think this sounds interesting, I hope you'll be able to trade it for more frequent updates to EaI for now.

~Myz

**Chapter 11- Shadow Gets Some Dating Advice**

To the mind that functions much akin to a computer, nothing is more strange – nothing more dually confusing and wonderful, than raw emotion. Shadow possessed one such mind, an orderly, powerful, analytic psyche that well understood all concrete information, but struggled in the realm of the intangible and abstract.

He was inclined to introspection, and often found himself sitting on what had come to be 'his' couch, and pondering. Sometimes he would think of his missions and their related variables. In the end, the equations always added up neatly. Others he would consider his handful of friends, and the future he held. Here, his arithmetic was not so solid, but it was concise enough to satisfy him. Lastly, and more prevalently, he found his thoughts drifting idly to his partner Rouge. He wondered, and puzzled over precisely what they were to each other, and where it was going from there.

But try as he might, it made no sense to him; the variables didn't add up, and he was left without answers or even clues, like a blind man who tries to imagine a picture, grasping at oblivion fruitlessly.

Thudding steps announced the approach of his robotic companion, who came and stood silently in front of him, as if considering him very thoughtfully.

"Omega, you can analyze the hormones and chemicals released by an organism to judge and classify their emotional reactions, right?" he had seen him use the ability before, but he thought it better to bring it up first before making his true request.

"Inquiry correct, this unit is adequately equipped. State your purpose for said inquiry," he chimed in reply, seeming to see through the façade effortlessly.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd perform an analysis of my… emotional reaction to Rouge," he said with difficulty as he coughed with mild embarrassment.

Omega appeared somewhat perplexed. _'Shadow is making inquiry. Proceed with next phase of Operation: Matchmaker. Due course of action = refer Shadow to Ally: Sonic.'_

He nodded, and responded almost with sly satisfaction, "For this unit to proceed with analysis, it is necessary for you to produce thoughts of the person in question."

Again, Shadow coughed slightly, but complied with Omega's request as the robot completed the scan.

"Most peculiar…" Omega trailed off, deliberately baiting Shadow.

"What is it? Is it bad?" he asked in worried anticipation.

"This data… is indecipherable. The various symptoms of your hormonal glands seem to contradict each other. I'm afraid _no scientific analysis is possible_."

"But I need some answers. I need to know what it is I'm feeling… what I should do! What _should_ I do?" he asked almost pitifully, looking as if he'd arrived at his wits end.

Omega was grinning inwardly. "My prognosis is that you should seek the advice of another flesh-sack, one more experienced in understanding the behavior of lifeforms."

"Asking Rouge is out of the question, that would only make things… stranger," he said to himself.

"Perhaps the blue hedgehog could assist you?" Omega suggested innocently.

"The moron?" he replied distastefully, as he began to consider the proposition. "Now that you mention it, he does have more social experience than I. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try."

Omega's inward grin widened, but he said nothing. Shadow stood and walked slowly toward the door, as if he dreaded every step closer he came to asking Sonic advice.

"I'll be back… whenever," he said morosely as he stood at the doorway, as if he were dying inside from being reduced to seeking the blue speedster's aid.

He was gone in a moment.

"Phase 2: Complete. Primary objectives: Compete," he stated with almost lifelike pride and satisfaction.

"Um, what objectives, Omega?" came the curious and slightly suspicious voice of Rouge from behind him.

"Objective… top secret," he responded before lumbering off, leaving her staring her staring quizzically after him.

* * *

Shadow stood frozen upon Sonic's doormat, wrestling with inner confliction. Asking for his rival's advice was like admitting that he was superior, and his pride screamed at him not to even consider it. At the same time, he couldn't help but be conscious of his own ignorance in the subject, and he recognized that he needed help.

He was at an impasse.

Once or twice his hand extended toward the door as if to knock, but he jerked it back at the last second each time with a look of disgust clearly written on his face. The scenery surrounding him seemed to stop and watch, as if the cotton ball clouds understood his problem, or the swirling autumn leaves sympathized. The pavement listened in, and blades of grass seemed to bend towards him in curiosity.

He sighed and reached for the knob one final time, but before his fingers could clasp over it, it darted away from him. Backwards though space it heaved, opening in front of him to reveal the taunting smirk of his friendly rival.

"Oh, hey Shadow. What's up?" Sonic said cheerfully, smugly, and without the faintest hint of surprise, suggesting that perhaps he'd been well aware of both Shadow's intention of coming, and that he'd been standing on the porch for quite some time.

"Well, I was just… in the neighborhood, and I thought- " he thought of saying he'd stopped by simply to say hello, but the mere suggestion seemed so outrageous, so preposterous, he didn't even bother.

"Sure, why don't you come inside," Sonic suggested again with the air of knowingness that alluded to him knowing Shadow had been loitering in the cold outside his house.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," he muttered, stepping uneasily into Sonic's home. The décor was an odd mixture of exactly what he'd expect, and utterly strange. Piles of comic books passed imperceptibly into piles of thick novels, piles of rock and roll CDs were stacked side by side with Mozart, and classic video games displayed equally as proudly as classical artwork.

He got the distinct impression that Sonic was much more than he appeared – that he was perhaps more sophisticated and intelligent than he came off. The cerulean speedster flopped comfortably down on a plush, velvet couch, and eyed his friend's tense, nervous posture with a sparkle of amusement in his eyes.

"So, how have you been lately?" Sonic smirked, his eyes containing their seemingly ever-present knowingness, as if all of the answers to all of life's mysteries floated within his brain.

"Oh, well – I'm working for GUN now," he did his best to respond casually, but to no avail.

"Is that so? I heard you were partnered up with Rougey," he replied, making Shadow uneasily wonder: heard from whom?

"Yeah, how about that… quite a coincidence."

Sonic laughed slightly, a wry smile coming onto his face slowly, gradually. "I don't believe in coincidences."

"Well well, moron! I guess you got philosopher's stone as a prize in your breakfast cereal this morning," Shadow returned sarcastically to change the subject. Sonic completely ignored the retort, as if he hadn't even heard it.

"You two sure are spending a lot of time together," he noted slyly, "what's going on?"

Shadow in his naïveté, interpreted the innuendo literally, as saw this as an opportunity to broach the subject of the real reason he was there.

"Actually, that's what I came here to talk about," he confessed begrudgingly, "This is all very… new to me."

Sonic genuinely wanted to help his friend, but he wasn't about to do it without making Shadow swallow his galactic ego first.

"What, you – the ultimate lifeform, need help? There's nothing you can't handle, right?" Sonic smirked.

Defeated, Shadow sighed and clenched his fists, almost as if in physical pain. "Turns out, being the ultimate lifeform only makes me naturally good at killing things and causing destruction," his face fell, and its features darkened in genuine sadness. "I'm not actually that good at anything else – I never had the chance to learn how to be normal. I need your help."

Sonic had to restrain himself from crying. "Come here, buddy," he said as he hugged Shadow.

"Get off of me!" Shadow thundered as he tried to pry Sonic away. "This is too much, too soon!"

At last Sonic released him, a bright smile spreading from ear to ear. "Of course I'll help you out. What are _friends _for?"

Pausing for a moment to contemplate the idea that they could be both rivals and friends, Shadow swallowed the dryness crawling through his throat before continuing rather quietly.

"Um, well, I'm just very confused right now. I don't really know how I feel towards her," he said with embarrassment.

Sonic whipped out a notepad seemingly out of nowhere, and pushed Shadow into a reclined position as if he were a therapist.

"Now sir, if you would please describe exactly how it is you feel-"

"Wait, you want me to… talk… about my… feelings?" he paused meaningfully before adding, "isn't that something only girls do?"

"Under normal circumstances, I'd agree, but extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Besides, how am I supposed to help you if I don't know what the problem is? Help me help you, Shadow," he grinned as he slowly sharpened his pencil, as if relishing the thought of its imminent use.

"Uh… well, it's confusing, see? Because I often feel like my chest is being crushed, or my throat is constricting tightly, or my face is… burning," he coughed as he recalled particularly severe cases of these symptoms.

"Mhm… and you've only noticed these symptoms in her presence?" Sonic replied severely, toying with Shadow's mind.

"That's right! Oh, and whenever we're in direct contact, my heart rate accelerates, and I feel… a tingling warmth."

"Ooh, tingling too? A most severe case," he chuckled under his breath.

"Please doc, you've gotta help me! I can't live like this anymore!"

Sonic ruminated deeply for a moment, and stroked a non-existent beard on his chin, while glancing with a serious and severe gaze at the silly doodles he'd drawn on his "professional" sketch pad.

Tracing his finger along one sketch of Shadow and Rouge holding hands, he finally made his reply.

"Hmm… in my – ha ha – experienced, professional – bwa ha ha – opinion," here Sonic finally lost it and burst out laughing uncontrollably, "Ha ha, you're killing me Shadow!"

Shadow looked at him quizzically, while scratching the back of his neck. "Um, I'm confused, what's so-"

He was abruptly silenced when his azure counterpart held up his index finger in a stark, scolding manner, instantly regaining the persona of a psychotherapist.

"What you are experiencing is well known in my experience to be a subtly nuanced variety of a classic mega-obsessive, manic-attraction, NFPJ, Gold Trout extraverted left brain complex with a rather simple neurotic paranoid superego intervention that manifests as a superlative relative reaction to the individuals subconscious consciousness' internal unconsciousness."

Shadow nodded blankly at him, partly out of surprise that Sonic even had such an advanced vocabulary, and from further surprise that he didn't have the slightest clue what any of it meant.

"In plain English?" he said in exasperation. _'I never thought THAT day would come…'_

"Oh well, it just means you've got 'a crush' on her," Sonic explained with a smile.

"I see… is it serious? Do you have an antidote?"

"There is only one way to cure so severe as case as yours. You must… date her," Sonic announced dramatically, throwing his hands up in the air and laughing manically in a caricature of his arch nemesis.

It seemed as though he was no closer to dispelling his confusion than when he started. "Wait a minute… date her? I'm not sure-"

Sonic slapped his forehead, dragging his fingertips slowly downwards as he peeled off his disbelief. "Do I have to teach you everything?" he sighed, "Alright, let me show you. You be you (that shouldn't be hard), and I'll be Rouge. What do you say to me?"

Shadow still was very lost, and a faint blush had painted his cheeks. "Um… so… do you want to… go do something?"

"Ugh, it needs serious work," he replied. "First off, use my name – the makes it more personal. Secondly, don't be so vague, or pause so much. Address me with more confidence!"

"This is stupid!" Shadow complained, "Not only do I have no clue what I'm doing, but I have to pretend you're her?"

"How else are you going to learn?" Sonic scolded as if he were a child. "Try again, but this time with more enthusiasm."

Shadow sighed heavily, but complied regardless. "Hey, uh… Rouge, do you want to go… for a walk?"

"Better, but still pretty awful. Your main problem is that you have no idea what sorts of things you do on dates. You got lucky with the walk; that would work. But I'm guessing that's just about all you've got. Am I right, or am I right?"

Shadow paused and nodded unsurely.

"Alright, well here's crash course: Dating 101. Some basic ideas for you: going to the movies, going dancing, ice-skating, or walking, going out to eat-"

Here Shadow interrupted, announcing suddenly "I don't have to eat."

"Okay, don't go all 'I'm the ultimate lifeform, and I don't need anything' on me. That's exactly the mentality you need to break. Besides, the main point isn't the food anyways, it's spending time with the other person."

"Point taken," he replied grudgingly, his index finger involuntarily tapping on his knee in a display of irritation.

"Alright, now say we're on a date together – what do you do?" Sonic asked in expectation, as if hoping for an epiphany from Shadow.

"Uh… nothing much, I guess," he answered in confusion, causing Sonic to again slap his own forehead in exasperation.

"No, ya idiot! It's really not that hard! You talk to her, compliment her, smile, ask some questions – in short, give her your undivided attention."

"How am I supposed to do that if we're at the movies?"

Sonic reached forward and grabbed Shadow's hand, clasping his fingers and holding it up to demonstrate.

"See? Like this. Or-" he now sat down next to his friend and threw his arm around his shoulder nonchalantly, "-like that."

"Is it… supposed to feel weird and uncomfortable?" he fidgeted as Sonic released him.

"It won't with her," he replied, eyebrows wagging suggestively. "Now, seems like that's just about it. Remember, give her your attention, be friendly, and try to crack a smile or two, would ya?"

The many and sudden transformations his friend had undergone while giving him advice were enough to give Shadow whiplash. However, he felt as if he had learned something, but was a bit unsure what form this new knowledge would take. The confusion had not subsided, but along with the confusion he felt a new sort of… hope in the fact he had a friend to support him.

Shadow stood, his blazing crimson eyes burning like infernos as they flicked to Sonic. "Sonic… thank you for all of your help."

"Heh, no problem buddy. Now… go get her," he flashed a million-dollar smile, and presented a thumbs up, as if that token would accomplish it.

Shadow nodded gravely, and left. Sonic stared after him with the grin of a cat that had trapped a mouse spread over his lips. He peered out the window until his friend had disappeared, and pulled a walkie-talkie out of a drawer.

"Agent Domo-Erragato Mr. Roboto, come in, do you read me? Over."

From his hiding place in Sonic's kitchen, Omega held his own walkie-talkie and answered his cohort.

"Copy that, Agent Blue Blur. How is Operation: Matchmaker proceeding? Over."

Sonic snickered into the receiver. "Operation: Matchmaker is proceeding exceptionally. We're now ready to move into Phase 3, over."


	12. The First Date

**Chapter 12 – The First Date**

Sometimes, irony seems to be an almost audible voice of cutting, sardonic laughter. Even in the midst of his discomfort, the irony of his situation was not lost on Shadow. He was the self-proclaimed "Ultimate Lifeform," made to be an unstoppable weapon that would be unmatched by any situation. He was unafraid to engage in mortal combat with giant robots a hundred times his size and yet his intestines writhed like a horde of slime-covered eels at the thought of facing Rouge in the world's most basic courting ritual.

In that moment he realized that torture is merely the anticipation of the inevitable. No physical pain is required, no psychological warfare necessary to feel all the weight of a thousand bricks upon one's chest cavity. It requires only anxiety.

His entire posture was affected, as each and every joint in his body seemed to grind against each other as if he were a rusting machine. By now, he was comfortable enough with being around her on a regular basis, and eating meals with her… It was the impending approach of the moment where he would make his intentions known that had curdled his very blood, and left him staring mindlessly down at a mess of soggy pancakes.

Every moment or so, he would glance over to observe the glaring contrast between them, and try to force himself to broach the subject. Whereas he was all agitation, she lounged loosely in her chair, sipping lemonade through a straw and wearing fuzzy pajamas. She seemed to sense his greater than usual jumpiness without making herself too concerned about it, as if nothing could possibly pierce her utter, lazy tranquility. Without rousing herself from her state of relaxation, she slid her hands slowly over his shoulder blades, feeling the tense muscle tighten like living concrete under her fingertips.

"What's the matter, Shadow? You seem… nervous," she purred, noting with satisfaction that she seemed neither to repel nor to calm him – leaving another alternative.

"Oh, who… me? Are you- are you kidding? I'm not- not nervous in the slightest," he responded defensively, his jaw clenching as he did.

Rouge could spend all day drinking in the sweet nectar of his embarrassment, but she also knew that she couldn't expect him to take the first baby step if he was too disarrayed to think straight. She decided to cheat, to help him along a bit, "Now Shadow, I can see right through you. You're clearly very stressed. It's not good for you to do nothing but work all the time – maybe you should do something to relax."

As naive as he was, Shadow saw this as his opportunity without also seeing that Rouge had effectively dropped it into his lap. He faltered a moment as his mind raced for what to say, but an image occurred to him of what Sonic would say if he backed down now. He'd never hear the end of it. People might start to talk; they might start to think that he was inferior to Sonic, that he couldn't beat him at his own game! He couldn't very well allow that to happen. Shadow's nerves had ultimately been conquered by the only part of him more prominent and pervading – his ego.

"Um… Rouge," he began, as she smiled encouragingly, "since you say I need to relax, I was wondering if you'd want to take a walk with me on the beach."

"Oh, you are just the sweetest thing," she chirped, before answering, "I'd love to. When do you want to go?"

"I… was thinking… that later this evening, around... six?" he felt his throat restrict unbearably when she gazed at him with her luscious aquamarine eyes.

"Watch the sun set, right? Mm, a date, then? Since when have you been so romantic, and sentimental?" she teased.

It was as if a shot of calm was injected into his body. His agitated state relaxed in a moment, as if her acceptance had finally dawned on him, and his confidence had returned. A hint of a smirk played at the corner of his lips, and he relaxed as he became accustomed to her banter.

"What can I say, I'm full of surprises," he responded slyly, although his voice still faltered slightly.

Rouge was surprised that he'd managed to make a reply at all, much less such a clever and skilled one, but it pleased her that her partner was beginning to catch on to how flirting and social interaction were supposed to go.

"Well then, it's a pleasant surprise," she paused momentarily to view his unveiled look of triumph before continuing, "I'm going to go shopping with Amy for awhile. You just stay here, okay?"

Shadow was a bit wounded that she seemed to be trying to escape, but after a moment of consideration, realized she probably just wanted to go and tell Amy what had transpired. Since the two had initially met as enemies and rivals, they had come to understand one another more, each sympathizing with the other on their seemingly hopeless romantic aspirations.

Rouge had never had much of a girl-friend before, keeping mainly to more professional relationships, but she found that the experiences of a more settled life were enjoyable… and for the times when she craved the excitement the life of a jewel thief provided, she could usually depend on her work with GUN to produce this adrenaline rush.  
Before he even realized it, she disappeared out the door, leaving him staring after her rather numbly for a moment.

_'What am I doing? I don't have to sit here like an idiot just waiting for her to get back. I can at least find something to pass the time.'_ He began to scan the room for something to occupy himself for a few hours, when he saw a bookshelf towards the back of the room. _'Hm... perhaps there's something interesting to read.'_

He fell to a perusal of Rouge's selection, but found little that seemed to interest him – a book here and there on gemstones, a sappy romance novel thrown in every once and awhile. _'I'd better find something soon. Dear God! What will people say if I'm actually reduced to reading a romance novel?' _

His eye passed in curiosity over an unmarked book bound in a finely grooved leather cover. Sliding it out smoothly from among the others, he was surprised to find that the front of the book was embossed with the single word: "journal."

_'I've never heard of a book called Journal… there's not even an author listed.'_ He noticed quizzically, as he plopped down on the couch, book in hand. Turning to the first page, he saw that it seemed to be handwritten, and dated. At first, he was rather confused by the vague and rambling entries, but gradually, he came to realize that they had been written by Rouge. _'This is similar to the Professor's diary… but it is written on paper, by Rouge. I wonder if it's alright for me to read it...'_

On the one hand, he reasoned, if Rouge had desired him to read it, she probably would've shown it to him by now. There was no reason for it to be hidden amongst other books if she wanted it read. On the other hand, it seemed rather illogical to him that if a person doesn't want others to know what they've thought or done that they would write it down on paper.

At last, he decided to browse just a bit, somewhat randomly.

_A Few Months Before…_

Sometimes I wish he would just drop the act of sternness and kiss me – just join together in passion and be there in that moment, together. Shadow and I are together most of the time, but I feel as if he's not really there with me, like he's too afraid to really let me in and be with the real him. I know that in the past, he was hurt very much, and that the pain from what happened to him on the ARK must be very deep… but sometimes I feel as if he'll never get over it – never lead a normal life.

I hope for Shadow's sake that's not true, that he'll come around eventually, and be himself… but some wounds just go too deep, I guess. Today he was especially moody – he was fairly rude in his replies when I tried to talk to him. It hurts me very badly when he acts like he doesn't care about anything or anyone, like he's going to kill himself at any moment. I only hope that it really is all an act.

A Few Weeks Before…

Shadow seems to finally be coming around, to finally be comfortable showing his true self, even though this is happening very slowly. I've noticed that I'll see him smile slightly every once in awhile, which is a big deal, because it used to be nothing but gloom and doom. So now I don't have to worry about his moodiness so much, but it still feels like I've made no progress at all sometimes.

I mean, really, Shadow still thinks like a machine, even when he is behaving like his true self, and machines aren't known for their capacity for tender emotions – just look at Omega. Sometimes it seems like the only emotions Dr. Eggman bothered to program in him are rage and hatred. I just hope that Shadow doesn't stay that way – feeling nothing but the negatives.

Even if I can't ever bring Shadow to love me, I at least hope that he'll someday be really, truly happy. He's had so much sadness in his life, and I just feel like someone who has suffered so much and really is a good person at heart deserves happiness in their life. It would mean the world to me if Shadow could find that - even more if I could be the means.

A Few Days Prior…

It is pretty obvious to me by now that Shadow shares my affection, in his own, awkward, frustrated manner. It's pretty funny to watch him squirm, but I know that deep down, he's enjoying all of my little teasing, as he really doesn't seem to be complaining. Now I just have to get him to come out of his shell, and he'll basically be set.  
Of course, this is the most crucial step. I believe Shadow has to feel comfortable in order to make any real progress, and if I'm constantly making him feel uncomfortable, he'll never actually approach me. I'll just play down my usual advances a bit for a little while until he makes a move. Hook, line, and sinker.

Yesterday…

Something is going on… I can tell – but not just with Shadow. Everyone has been acting strange lately… Sonic, Omega, Amy… like they're all in on some big secret that I don't know about. To top it off, Shadow has made like he was going to say something important several times in the last few days, but became too nervous to continue, which is frustrating.  
As much as I care for him, I refuse to do all the work in the relationship. In order for it to be mutual, Shadow is going to have to find his manliness. I won't be the one to ask him out. If he really cares enough, he'll overcome his nerves and do it. Ha ha, I just hope I don't grow old waiting for him. He may have forever, I unfortunately do not!

He felt a bit more confident now that he knew Rouge had been waiting for him to ask her out the entire time, and that she'd returned his secretive affections for awhile. On the other hand, Rouge's frank remarks about his numerous personal flaws brought grave consideration to his mind. He knew that he had never been particularly socially apt, but he'd always though that this would be the deterrence of her affections. Seeing her so lovingly look past, but simultaneously recognize his points of personal weakness was an epiphany in and of itself. The personal distance he tended to create between himself and others was a display of strength, of self-sufficiency designed to keep others from detecting a weakness. But Rouge had so easily seen through the façade to the heart of the real problem – that mask of impenetrable cold, aloof strength, that was his true weakness; his inability to trust anyone, to trust life itself.

Sinking to his knees, he gasped slightly as a warmth began to gather behind his eyelids. Feeling the hot drops begin to course down his cheeks, he suppressed the first low sob, but at length, the emotions which had been contained for so long burst free all at once, raging forth – the dam had burst. The agony of knowing he had caused her sadness in his effort to maintain his "safety" wracked him all at once, leaving him in a state of emotional rather than physical exhaustion.

Somehow he managed to rouse himself, and for awhile, sat in a state of numb confusion. By the time he was lucid enough to be alert, he glanced at the clock and realized that Rouge would be back soon. Rushing frantically and yet rather aimlessly about, he quickly placed the journal back in its spot on the bookshelf. He felt as if he should be preparing somehow, sprucing himself up or something, but he had no idea how to go about this.

Failing to produce a conclusive answer as to how to make himself as attractive a prospect as possible, he at last fell to drinking a bottle of water with disarrayed, sloshing motions. Agonizingly, he could hear her laughing and walking up to the door and he desperately tried to calm his nerves and make himself seem natural and relaxed. Of course, by trying to make himself relax too deliberately, he ending up looking all the more uncomfortable and silly.

She came through the door to find him slouching in a comically laid-back position on the couch, his arm extended and fingers wrapped lazily around his water bottle. In his absent-minded state, he forgot to hang onto it enough to keep it in his hand, and it fell to the floor with a clunk, startling himself and prompting a small, suppressed laugh from Rouge.

"I know that you're just itching to be going, but you'll have to give me a minute to change," she smiled slyly, rendering him utterly incapable of doing anything more than nodding enthusiastically.

Shadow squirmed slightly in his chair, as Rouge seemed to deliberately be taking her sweet time. Seconds to him seemed like eons, and he drummed his fingertips rhythmically on his knee to try to coerce time to move faster.

After what seemed to Shadow to be hours, the huntress finally emerged from her bedroom, her light pink skirt swaying slowly with the movement of her hips. His fingers stopped their tapping and clenched down hard on his leg, as he watched her in mute astonishment.

"Shadow, you're staring," she smirked slightly, as he leapt up in embarrassment, a crimson tint singeing his cheeks.

"Um- I was just... just admiring how pretty you are," he recovered, opening the door for her. She raised her eyebrow slightly at his gentlemanly display, wondering to herself where he had learned such behavior.

Soon, they were out the door and on their way.

Shadow couldn't help but glance at her every moment or so, seeming to feel as if he should hold her hand, but unable to muster the courage to just grab it. She smiled at him mildly, sensing his discomfort and hoping simply to put him at ease. Quietly, she curled her fingers around his loosely swaying hand, gripping it lightly.

Shadow felt the breath catch in his lungs, as his heartbeat accelerated to an exhilarating speed. Slowly, almost involuntarily, he felt his own hand return her an affectionate squeeze, as he stared down pensively at where his toes pushed apart the sand into small trenches and mounds.

The sound of the waves rolling softly over the beach mirrored the sound of thoughts slowly rolling over in his mind – ever turning, never furious, yet always restless. Still, he felt that the sea was a comforting place to be – it had been the first thing that had struck him as beautiful when he surveyed the Earth from high above with Maria.

At last he glanced up again, to find that Rouge was gazing at him piercingly, her aquamarine eyes reflecting the gold light of the downwards titling sun. That uncanny gaze that could send a shiver down his spine and his heart into a swoon all at once. He gulped softly, and the pair continued on, walking quietly on the beach together as the orange sun slowly waned.

Meanwhile, sitting a few hundred yards offshore in comically small rowboat was the world-famous speedster, Sonic. Pulled down over his head was a shady, wide-brimmed fedora, and he rowed sneakily along, glancing over a newspaper and chomping down on a chili dog decked with trimmings.

Turning over his shoulder, he pulled an outrageously large bronze telescope out of the bottom of his boat, peering through it at the lovestruck couple and turning away every few seconds to pretend to be reading the paper in case they saw him. Looking up, he saw that they had advanced along the beech, and gripped the oars tightly, pushing himself deftly through the water with long, powerful strokes.

_'Everything is unfolding according to my plan,'_ he laughed in imitation of his nefarious archenemy.

No sooner had he advanced enough to keep up with Shadow and Rouge, and returned to the use of his telescope, when the boat shook as furiously as an earthquake, startling Sonic. He turned around to find Omega sitting with his hands folded mildly on the other end of the boat, tipping it downwards severely, but seeming not to notice.

_'How could I forget about my stalwart companion?'_ he rolled his eyes.

"Lifeform: Sonic, I have elected to accompany you on your aquatic voyage in this rudimentary craft with the objective: observe, target: Shadow and target: Rouge to ensure that Operation: Matchmaker may proceed as planned," Omega seemed to chirp in an odd mixture of both robotic staleness and almost organic enthusiasm.

"Yes, I'm sure you want to watch too... but don't you think that you're too heavy for the boat? It's tipping right now," Sonic pointed out, glancing back quickly to make sure that their targets had not wandered off.

"Perhaps if this unit were to shift its weight into the center of the craft, the displacement of water would be held in equilibrium," he responded, shifting closer to Sonic and almost forcing him out of the tiny row boat.

"Omega, there's not enough space," Sonic insisted, shoving against him in futility before resigning himself to sharing the miniscule boat, and again peering through the telescope and chuckling.

"Comrade Sonic, this unit has an inquiry to present to you. Would you be magnanimous enough to permit this unit to make use of the magnification device: telescope?"

"No, it's mine! Besides... don't you have built in... digital zoom doohickies or something?" Sonic responded, shoving Omega ineffectually.

Sonic jerked away, gazing through the telescope at the couple walking across the beach. For a moment, Omega simply sat and stared at him, an oddly bright light seemingly to glare in his normally hot-coal glow eyes.  
"Sonic... this unit will inquire cordially a final time. Give me the telescope," Omega sharply commanded in a suppressed, threatening tone.

"Omega, stop it!" Sonic shouted at his robot companion, jerking the bronze telescope away as the robot's massive, trunk-like arms outstretched to grab it. Omega practically tackled Sonic, wrestling with him to pull away the precious telescope, rocking the small boat back and forth.

"Y-you're going to flip over the boat!" Sonic screamed, the wood underneath him convulsing and buckling with each movement of the hulking robot.

"Give me the telescope!" Omega bellowed, swiping for it, but missing by inches. His momentum finally brought the boat to the point of no return, as it stood almost perfectly on its side.

"Omega!" Sonic screamed as he flailed his arms desperately. To his horror, his chili dog slipped from his grasp, sloshing into the water behind him with a terrible plop. Omega grabbed onto the end of the telescope, holding Sonic suspended above the water. "P-pull me up!"

"Negatory, comrade," Omega seemed to almost whisper, as he tore the gleaming telescope from Sonic's grasp, upsetting his balance and sending him tumbling backwards into the water. At the same moment, the shift in weight threw the boat over, leaving it facing upside down on the water's surface.

Omega's jets flared to life, suspending him above the water's surface, as he gazed through the glass in satisfaction. "Target: Shadow, and Target: Rouge seem to be in close proximity. Operation Matchmaker is surpassing unit projections."

Sonic came to the surface and sputtered, grasping onto the overturned boat for dear life. "Omega, I can hardly swim! And I hate water!"

"Perhaps next time you'll reconsider when this unit poses a reasonable request," he seemed to reply almost smugly.

"Rouge, did you just hear something?" Shadow said absently as the pair walked along the beach.

"It sounded kind of like screaming and then a big splash..." she mused for a moment. "Probably nothing. Let's keep going."

Shadow glanced back, but a sharp tug on his arm sent a rose colored tinge over his cheeks and effectively distracted him from the slashing noise.

Rouge pulled him to her side, wrapping her hand deftly around him. The sun was declining further and further towards the horizon, and the two of them sat contentedly on the beach to watch it sink into the distance.

Lapping waves of darkness spread out in an infinite expanse before them, and the sea rustled quietly like a child tucked gently in to sleep. Flaming crimson the sun dipped down, kissing the ocean and painting it with fire. Around it, violet streaked clouds dissipated gently, scattering into purple cotton balls.

Shadow put his hand unsurely on Rouge's shoulder, seeing the same majestic golden glow dancing in her eyes as the splendor of the sea. Her luminous aquamarine gaze turned to him, and he felt as if his heart would explode in his chest.

"Rouge..." he choked, his voice unsure at what he truly wanted to say. "I know that... in the past, I've been cold and distant."

"Shadow, you've always been there for me-" she began, a sad smile gathering on her lips.

"No, no I haven't. I've been selfish, pursuing my own ends and pushing you away. I even considered leaving you for good - just wandering alone. But that day when you told you that you'd always be by my side... I realized that I don't have to be alone," Shadow looked away slightly to try to hide a tear that had formed in his eye. "When Maria died, I thought I would spend the rest of my life seeking vengeance. Even when I gave up the path of revenge, I wandered aimlessly, trying to find my place in this world."

"It's not your fault, Shadow. You were hurt so deeply - anyone else would've done the same thing. The difference is, you were strong enough to pull through to the other side of the pain," Rouge offered comfortingly, reaching out with a slender finger to wipe the tear from his cheek.

"I know. I don't blame myself for the past, I've moved past that now. But what I've learned is where my place in the world is. I belong with you," he finished simply, his burning crimson eyes rivaling the intensity of the sun itself.

"Oh, Shadow!" she squealed in happiness, throwing her arms around him. "I want you to be with me, I want you to be happy."

Shadow placed his hand lovingly on her cheek, looking into her eyes with the depth of all his passion. "For the first time in a long time, I am."

A small, shy smile found its way onto Shadow's lips, as he stood. Rouge followed suit, and the two of them began the walk back, hand in hand.

Arriving at Rouge's apartment much later in evening, Shadow opened the door for Rouge and stood on the mat outside, just as he'd been instructed to by all of the dating advice he'd found on this strange thing called _'the internet.'_

"Shadow, thanks for finally asking me out. I had a great time," Rouge chirped joyfully, before turning and heading into the apartment. Shadow shut the door behind her, and began to turn away, when he heard the door open again behind him.

"Uh... Shadow? You planning on sleeping on the curb tonight?" Rouge asked with a sly smile. Shadow froze, one foot still in the air.

"Yeah... I was just... going to get some air!" he laughed nervously, "Just give me a minute."

Rouge nodded, closing the door behind her. Shadow waiting until a few moment after she had shut it, before he released a long breath of air, and did a triumphant fist pump.

"I see it went well, Shads," an all-too-familiar voice rang out from nearby, causing Shadow to growl slightly.

"What do you want, moron?" he responded in irritation, mostly due to the fact Sonic had caught him fist-pumping.

"Oh, I just want to congratulate you on a job well done. I didn't think you had it in you."

"You doubt my power?" Shadow responded coyly, crossing his arms.

"I'm sure Rougey knows all about your power... in bed," he giggled, his finger pointing at the ultimate lifeform.

"Say another word and I'll snap off you finger."

"A little defensive, are we? So the big stud doesn't want to discuss his love life, I get it. I guess I kind of figured I've got a right to talk to you about that stuff now. Remind me... who was it who set you up with the know-how you needed?"

Shadow muttered something inaudible.

"I couldn't quite make that out, Shadow. Maybe a little louder?"  
"Alright, you win! It was you. You helped me know what to do to have the perfect date. Happy?"

"Shadow, I'm always happy with a job well done," he smirked.

"Shadow, you coming? I'm still waiting for you," Rouge's voice came muffled from inside.  
"One second..." Shadow replied, wincing as an impossibly large grin spread across Sonic's face.

"Get out of here before I do something you'll regret, Sonic."

With that, the ultimate lifeform slammed the door in Sonic's face. The blue speedster shook off some of the residual wetness clinging to his body, as Omega stomped up next to him.

"Comrade Sonic, status update."

"Well Omega, I think our work is pretty much done here," he trailed off almost sadly. "But... Shadow's sure to need our help again in the future. We'll continue to keep him under observation."

"Roger."

"...Did you really need the telescope that bad? I mean c'mon, you got me all wet!"

"This unit is of the opinion that comrade Sonic got what was coming to him," Omega replied stubbornly, still clutching the telescope.

"You ruined my chili dog!" he cried woefully.

"...This unit will replace said 'chili dog' with a unit of equal or greater value."

"Blasphemy! You can't replace a chili dog! Chili dogs are unique individuals, works of art, like snowflakes or fingerprints. Each one is different, with subtle nuances setting it apart from its chili dog brethren!"

"...This unit is cataloging comrade Sonic for irrational behavior and delusions."

"Ah, forget it."


	13. Shadow Knows Best

_Author's Notes:_ Sorry about a shorter, very dialogue heavy chapter, but this was necessary for story advancement.

**Chapter 13 - Shadow Knows Best**

With a burst of steam, the high vaulted door slid to the left, allowing Shadow to enter the GUN briefing room. Standing in the room and chattering busily were a dozen or so scientists, military officers, and agents. A collective hush came over them as the obsidian hedgehog entered the room, his air shoes clicking softly against the matte black floor.

"Agent Shadow, you've been called here due to a matter of the utmost importance to our national security," the Commander began, as those surrounding the long table sat down and faced a large projection screen.

Shadow took his place towards the far end of the table, noting furtive glances from some of those seated.

"Yesterday, at 2100 hours, satellite imaging detected an anomaly appearing about five hundred miles off the western seaboard. These anomalies were catalogued and sent for analysis this morning at the Dobbson facility nearby."

"Commander, if I may, anomalies of all sorts occur across the globe every day. What exactly about this particular incident is worth our attention?" one of the scientists protested, as if he were anxious to return to an experiment.

"If you'll be patient, gentlemen, I'm getting there. The laboratory analysis showed the anomalies to be massive fluxes of energy spreading out from one location in timed concentric circles. The periodic nature of these fluxes suggests that they're not naturally occurring."

Another hush fell over the room, as the image on the projector showed a feed of the location where the anomaly had been detected. No-one seemed to be willing to state the obvious: that such energy fluxes, if not natural, must be artificial. Logically, if artificial, they could only be created in such perfect synchronization by a machine, and the only two forces with the technological prowess to build such a machine were themselves, and Dr. Robotnik.

"In other words, the energy is being emitted by some sort of device?" one of the higher ranking officers pronounced, allowing everyone to begin mentally panicking instead of merely waiting for someone to speak doom.

"Now, we can't be sure of anything yet. All that we know is assumptions based off of the readings of long range scanners. I suggest we send a capable team to investigate the source of the emanations," the lead scientist chimed in, pulling his lab coat tightly around him as if chilled.

"You don't need a team," Shadow stated blankly, for the first time, everyone focusing their attention on him. "I'll go."

"Gentleman, as I'm sure you're aware, Agent Shadow is one of our most competent operatives. He was instrumental in helping to restore a relative state of order to Westopolis. But apart from this, he is particularly qualified for the current mission. Shadow might be considered the leading expert on Chaos energy - he possesses the unique ability to manipulate and interpret the energy field himself," the Commander explained with an air of confidence bordering on affection.

"So little is known about the energy field. Perhaps a team of scientists could accompany-" a walking labcoat was cut off by Shadow raising his hand for silence.

"Tell me, doctor... If someone stands and watches a fighting match, and studies the fighters' techniques; observes them... does he understand how to fight?" Shadow stood and walked the length of the floor, coming towards the display screen.

"Well I-" the hapless researcher began, only to once again be cut short.

"Of course not, he has only seen fighting. It is not until he bloodies his knuckles and bruises his body that he will truly understand how to fight."

"Look, I'm not sure-"

"Precisely. You're not sure. You have no idea what you're dealing with here. You can run all the tests you like, but ultimately your knowledge is merely skin-deep. I don't need a team of researchers slowing me down, I _am_ Chaos Control," Shadow finished, a look of victory on his face. "When do I leave?"

The council seemed momentarily stunned by his outburst, but as their surprise faded, they seemed only to be pleased by his vigor and determination. Smug smiles spread across the room as the Commander folded his hands neatly in front of him.

"Be here tomorrow at 0600. We'll have some special preparations ready for you. For now, you're dismissed, Agent Shadow," the Commander nodded stiffly, as Shadow turned without a word to leave.

Just like every day, when he arrived home at Rouge's apartment, she had gotten back slightly before him, and inquired curiously abut the details of his daily duties. Some days were more exciting than others, being a GUN Agent meant equal measure of bullet casings and file cabinets.

Thinking nothing of relating to her what had transpired as he did every other day, Shadow recounted the briefing session that had discussed the energy anomalies appearing in the deep sea, and his own mission involving them. Rouge was deathly silent for some time after hearing the news, and bit her lip slightly.

"Uh... is everything okay?" he asked at seeing her odd reaction to such routine talk, raising one eyebrow in suspicion.

"Yeah, I guess. It's just... this doesn't sound right. I mean, you and I both know that whatever is making these energy fluxes is massive... it's probably going to be very dangerous," she added slowly, aware that questioning Shadow's strength would only alienate him from her perspective.

Unfortunately for Rouge, despite her attempt at conveying her stance tactfully, Shadow still was offended by the idea that it would be too hazardous. "Danger? Rouge, do you know who I am? My middle name is danger!"

"I thought that it was Dexter," Rouge interjected teasingly, hoping to dissuade his vexation.

Shadow froze. He turned around stiffly, eyes narrowed. "Who told you that?" his voice was a low deadpan.

"Oh, I read it in your file ages ago when GUN assigned me to investigate Project Shadow," Rouge giggled.

Shadow was silent for a moment, before continuing. "Since I had GUN destroy my file... I'm denying that. Anyways, as I was saying before-"

"Shadow, you don't need to prove anything, I know that you're the Ultimate Lifeform," she cut him off, "But maybe you should let GUN handle this. Sometimes you get in this cocky mood, and you might make a mistake."

Utter and complete silence fell over the room. Imperceptibly, Shadow's right eye twitched slightly.

"Cocky?" he growled slightly, before clenching his fists. "If anybody has reason to be cocky, it's me, not that blue moron!"

"Shadow, I wasn't comparing-"

"Really? Then why use the word cocky? Everyone knows Sonic is cocky. But why must everybody compare him and me? We are nothing alike!" Shadow was making himself more infuriated by the second, and Rouge was at a loss for how to soothe him.

"C'mon Shadow, I didn't mention Sonic. You don't have to be so jealous of him when he's obviously weaker than you are," she said before she realized the words were out of her mouth.  
"Jealous? Of that blue moron and his idiotic grin? There's nothing to be jealous of! But I know one thing..." he paused and inhaled deeply, beginning to bring his emotions under control, but not less determined to have his way. "Sonic would never turn down this mission."

"Sonic's even worse in water than you are."

"I don't have any problem with water besides not being able to breathe it. I can swim just fine, I'll have you know," Shadow crossed his arms and faced away from her.

"I've just got this nagging feeling..." she realized mid-sentence that logic would not convince him; he was stubborn and determined. She would have to take a different approach. "Shadow..."

Shadow's eyes widened slightly at hearing the sudden sultry turn her voice as taken, and he glanced backwards out of sheer curiosity.

"You know... you could always say you were sick..." she said slowly, allowing the words to drip off her tongue like molasses.

"But if I'm not-" unable to finish his sentence he froze as Rouge reached forward and draped one hand on the patch of white hair on his torso.

"We could stay home all day... But believe me, you won't be bored."

Shadow gulped slightly, his throat feeling dry and constricted. His mind raced with involuntary fantasies of precisely what Rouge had in mind. Jolting himself back to the present by shaking his head roughly, and gently removed her hand from his chest. He cleared his throat to try to regain his composure, before continuing.

"Rouge, you know how I feel about you. Nothing could change that. But your concern is unnecessary. Only I can do this mission, so I will do it."

He left her standing there alone with the icy feeling in the pit of her stomach, her thoughts filled with dark wonderings of what her premonitions would portend.


End file.
